Suicide blast kills seven Pakistani soldiers near Afghan border

A deadly suicide bombing claimed the lives of seven Pakistani soldiers near the Afghan border, Pakistani security officials confirmed, amid a fragile ceasefire between Islamabad and Kabul neared its expiration.

The attack occurred in North Waziristan, a restive tribal district long plagued by militant activity. Security officials said the assault targeted a military camp, killing seven personnel and injuring 13 others, Reuters reports.

According to five officials familiar with the incident, the attack began when a militant drove an explosive-laden vehicle into the boundary wall of a fort that served as a military installation. Two other assailants attempted to storm the facility but were shot dead by Pakistani forces before they could breach the compound.

The Pakistani military has not yet issued an official statement regarding the incident.

The attack comes at a particularly sensitive time, as Pakistan and Afghanistan observe a precarious 48-hour ceasefire that paused several days of fierce cross-border fighting. The temporary truce—reached after deadly clashes involving ground forces and Pakistani airstrikes inside Afghan territory—was set to expire at 13:00 GMT on October 17. The fighting earlier this month left dozens dead and hundreds wounded on both sides, marking one of the most serious escalations between the neighbouring countries in decades.

Militant violence has been a persistent irritant in the relationship between Islamabad and the Afghan Taliban, which seized control of Afghanistan in 2021 following the withdrawal of US-led forces. The latest round of hostilities was sparked by Pakistan’s demands that the Taliban act against militant groups allegedly operating from Afghan soil and launching attacks across the border.

Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, speaking on October 16, defended his country’s recent military actions. “Pakistan retaliated,” he said, “as it lost patience with Afghanistan following a series of militant attacks,” adding that Islamabad remained open to dialogue to de-escalate the crisis.

Kabul, for its part, denies hosting anti-Pakistan militants and accuses Islamabad of fueling tensions. The Taliban has accused the Pakistani military of “spreading misinformation about Afghanistan, provoking border tensions, and sheltering ISIS-linked militants to undermine its stability and sovereignty.” Pakistan categorically denies those accusations.

While tensions between the two Islamic nations are not unprecedented, the intensity of this month’s clashes is the worst in decades. The violence has attracted the attention of key regional stakeholders, with Saudi Arabia and Qatar stepping in to mediate in hopes of preventing a wider conflict.

US President Donald Trump, commenting on the situation, said he is willing to help mediate a resolution to the ongoing border crisis.

By Vafa Guliyeva