At least 19 Pakistani soldiers lost their lives and four more were wounded in an attack carried out by the Tehrik-e Taliban Pakistan (TTP) militant group in the Bar area of South Waziristan on Saturday, according to official statements from the Pakistani military.
Military authorities explained that troops were engaged in counter-militant operations when they were ambushed in a retaliatory strike.
The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the public affairs arm of the Pakistan Army, confirmed the incident in a formal statement, adding that at least 35 militants had been killed during the exchange.
A senior police officer in the region, speaking anonymously to Radio Mashaal due to restrictions on communication with the media, also verified reports of an attack on a military vehicle in the Badar Faqir Sarai locality.
TTP Claims Responsibility
The TTP, widely known as the Pakistani Taliban, later claimed responsibility for the assault. In a statement issued by its spokesman, Muhammad Khurasani, the group asserted that as many as 30 soldiers had been killed. However, Radio Mashaal emphasised that these claims could not be independently confirmed.
Although sharing ideological ties, the Pakistani Taliban remain a separate entity from the Afghan Taliban. Nevertheless, the two maintain a close alliance.
‘Since the Afghan Taliban’s takeover of Kabul in 2021, the TTP has grown increasingly emboldened, with many of its leaders and fighters believed to have found refuge across the border in Afghanistan.
Islamabad has consistently accused the Taliban administration in Kabul of providing sanctuary to these militants, a charge the Afghan government continues to deny.
The deadly South Waziristan ambush comes just a day after a similar September 12 attack in Lower Dir, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, where militants killed seven Frontier Corps soldiers and wounded 13 others, according to both local police and intelligence sources.
Security forces have since stepped up operations in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, where militant activity has surged. On September 11, the Pakistan Army announced the killing of 19 militants in coordinated operations across Momand, North Waziristan, and Bannu districts.
(With inputs from IBNS)
