Seven Pakistani Soldiers Killed in Suicide Attack Near Afghan Border Amid Fragile Truce
Seven Pakistani soldiers were killed and 13 others injured in a suicide attack on a military camp near the Afghan border on Friday, security officials...
Seven Pakistani soldiers were killed and 13 others injured in a suicide attack on a military camp near the Afghan border on Friday, security officials confirmed. The attack comes as a 48-hour ceasefire between Pakistan and Afghanistan was set to expire at 1300 GMT, following days of intense cross-border clashes.
According to five security officials, the assault involved one militant driving an explosive-laden vehicle into the boundary wall of the fort serving as a military facility, while two other attackers attempted to infiltrate the camp but were shot dead by security personnel. Pakistan’s army had not responded immediately to requests for comment.
Backdrop: Cross-Border Tensions
This incident follows one of the most severe flare-ups between Pakistan and Afghanistan in decades. Earlier this month, fierce ground fighting and airstrikes by Pakistan across the contested frontier left dozens dead and hundreds injured before both sides agreed to a temporary truce.
The latest clashes were triggered after Islamabad demanded that the Afghan Taliban rein in militants conducting attacks in Pakistan from havens across the border. Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said Islamabad had “retaliated” after losing patience with repeated militant incursions but emphasized that Pakistan remained open to negotiations.
The Taliban, who returned to power in Kabul after the U.S.-led withdrawal in 2021, denies the allegations, accusing Pakistan of spreading misinformation, escalating border tensions, and sheltering ISIS-linked militants to undermine Afghan stability. Pakistan has rejected these claims.
Regional and Global Attention
The clashes have attracted the mediation efforts of Saudi Arabia and Qatar, reflecting the wider concern in the Islamic world over the potential for escalation. Meanwhile, U.S. President Donald Trump has offered to help resolve the conflict, highlighting the international stakes involved in stabilizing the porous border region.