7 army troops killed in roadside bomb explosion in northwest Pakistan

By Aamir Latif

KARACHI, Pakistan (AA) - At least seven Pakistan army troops were killed in a roadside bomb explosion in the country's northwestern region on Sunday, the military said.

An Improvised explosive device targeted an army vehicle in the Lakki Marwat district of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, which borders neighboring Afghanistan, killing seven soldiers, including a captain, an army statement said.

The incident is the latest in a string of terrorist attacks targeting security forces, mainly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and the southwestern Balochistan province.

No group has yet claimed responsibility for the attack, but Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), an umbrella of several militant outfits operating in Pakistan, has long been targeting security forces in the region.

“Sanitization of the area is being carried out to eliminate any terrorists present in the area and perpetrators of this heinous act will be brought to justice," the military said.

"Security forces of Pakistan are determined to eliminate the menace of terrorism and such sacrifices of our brave soldiers further strengthen our resolve," it added.

Pakistan has seen a surge in terrorist attacks since the re-capture of Afghanistan by the Taliban in Aug. 2021.

Islamabad accuses “Afghanistan-based” militants loyal to outlawed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) of carrying out attacks with the Taliban turning a blind eye.

The interim Taliban government in Afghanistan, for its part, denies the charge.