At least 8 Pakistani soldiers killed in suicide attack on military base | Politics news

The Hafiz Gul Bahadur armed group, operating from Afghanistan, claimed responsibility for the deadly attack.

At least eight Pakistani soldiers were killed in an attack after suicide bombers rammed a vehicle loaded with explosives into the perimeter wall of a military base.

Rebels attacked the army base in Bannu on the border with the North Waziristan tribal area. In a statement on Tuesday, the military said soldiers had killed all 10 attackers involved in the attack.

“This timely and effective response … prevented a major disaster and saved precious innocent lives,” it added.

Among those killed in Monday’s attack were seven army personnel and one paramilitary soldier.

“The Pakistani armed forces will … take all necessary measures they deem appropriate against the threats emanating from Afghanistan,” the military said.

The armed group Hafiz Gul Bahadur, which is part of the Pakistani Taliban and is known by the acronym TTP, claimed responsibility for the attack. According to the army, the group operates from neighboring Afghanistan to “orchestrate terrorist attacks in Pakistan.”

The British colonial-era base has served as a launching pad for counterinsurgency operations in the past and is surrounded by civilian homes that were rocked by Monday’s blast, Reuters news agency reported, citing two unnamed local officials.

The first explosion tore down the perimeter wall, allowing other fighters to enter the base.

An unnamed local official also told AFP that 141 people were injured after fighters wearing suicide vests “invaded the residential area” and engaged in 26 hours of fighting with rifles and anti-tank grenades.

On Tuesday morning, suspected TTP militants carried out another attack in Dera Ismail Khan, a district near Bannu, killing two security personnel and three attackers.

The Pakistani military launched a rare cross-border operation against the armed group in March.

Islamabad says it has repeatedly discussed the issue of cross-border attacks with the Taliban government, but the government denies allowing Afghan territory to be used for attacks.

The issue has escalated tensions between the neighboring countries and led to clashes between their border troops.

The attack also came weeks after Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif announced a comprehensive new campaign to eradicate armed groups following an escalation in violence.