Suicide Blast Targets Military Convoy in Pakistan’s North Waziristan, 13 Soldiers Killed: AFP

28 June, 2025:

A suicide bombing aimed at a military convoy in Pakistan’s North Waziristan district killed 13 soldiers and injured at least 29 others, including civilians, according to multiple officials cited by AFP.

Local administration sources said the attacker drove an explosive-laden vehicle into the convoy in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. This resulted in the deaths of 13 army personnel and injuries to 10 soldiers and 19 civilians.

A senior police officer in the area told AFP that the blast caused major damage, including the collapse of roofs from two nearby houses, injuring six children. An administrative official noted that the condition of four wounded soldiers is critical.

The Hafiz Gul Bahadur group, a faction linked to Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), claimed responsibility for the attack through its suicide bomber wing.

Violence has increased in Pakistan’s border regions with Afghanistan since the Taliban returned to power in Kabul in 2021. Islamabad has repeatedly accused the Afghan Taliban of sheltering militants who conduct cross-border attacks, a claim the Kabul administration denies.

According to an AFP count, at least 290 people, mostly security forces, have died in attacks by armed groups in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan since the start of the year.