At least seven Pakistani soldiers were killed on Friday in a suicide attack near the Afghan border, security officials said, as tensions between Islamabad and Kabul persist despite a fragile ceasefire.
The attack occurred at a military camp in North Waziristan, where militants rammed an explosives-laden vehicle into the fort’s boundary wall before attempting to storm the facility. Two assailants were shot dead by troops, while 13 soldiers were injured, officials confirmed.
The assault came just hours before the expiry of a 48-hour truce between Pakistan and Afghanistan, which temporarily halted days of intense cross-border fighting earlier this month. The clashes included ground assaults and Pakistani airstrikes that reportedly killed dozens and injured hundreds.
Relations between the two neighbours have deteriorated sharply since Islamabad accused the Taliban government of harbouring militants responsible for escalating attacks inside Pakistan. Afghan authorities have denied the allegations, accusing Pakistan instead of spreading misinformation and stoking instability.
Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said on Thursday that Pakistan had “retaliated” after losing patience over repeated militant attacks but expressed readiness for dialogue to resolve the dispute.
The recent hostilities the worst in decades between the two Islamic nations have drawn concern from regional and global actors, with Saudi Arabia and Qatar reportedly mediating to ease tensions.
U.S. President Donald Trump has also expressed willingness to help broker peace between the two sides.
