Regional
Roadside bombs and gunfire kill 11 Pakistani Paramilitary Troops near Afghan border
Security officials said the attack took place in the Kurram district of north-western Pakistan, an area that has long been a flashpoint for militant activity.
Eleven Pakistani paramilitary personnel, including two officers, were killed when their convoy came under attack near the Afghan border in north-western Pakistan.
The Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) has claimed responsibility for the incident that took place on Tuesday night.
Security officials said the attack took place in the Kurram district of north-western Pakistan, an area that has long been a flashpoint for militant activity.
The convoy was first struck by roadside bombs before militants opened fire with automatic weapons, officials told Reuters.
A large-scale search and clearance operation has been launched in the area, but authorities have yet to issue an official statement. The army’s media wing did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
The TTP, an umbrella group of Islamist militants seeking to topple Pakistan’s government said its fighters carried out the ambush. The group has intensified attacks across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan provinces over the past year, targeting security forces and state installations.
Islamabad has repeatedly accused the TTP of operating from sanctuaries inside Afghanistan, a claim the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) denies.
Kabul maintains that it does not allow its territory to be used for attacks against other countries and has urged dialogue to address cross-border security concerns.