8 soldiers, 10 attackers killed in northwest Pakistan clash

By Aamir Latif

KARACHI, Pakistan (AA) - At least eight soldiers and 10 suspected militants were killed in a clash, which included a suicide bombing, in northwest Pakistan, the military said on Tuesday.

A group of heavily-armed militants stormed the cantonment area in the Bannu district of northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province in early hours of Monday before a suicide bomber rammed an explosive-laden vehicle into the perimeter wall of the area.

"The attempt to enter the cantonment was effectively thwarted by the security forces personnel, which forced the terrorists to ram an explosive laden vehicle into perimeter wall of the cantonment," the military said in a statement.

The suicide blast, it added, led to the collapse of a portion of the wall and damaged the adjoining infrastructure, resulting in the killing of eight troops.

In the ensuing operation, troops effectively engaged the attackers, killing all 10 suspected militants, the statement added.

The army pointed a finger at the Hafiz Gul Bahadur group of outlawed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), "which operates from Afghanistan and has used Afghan soil to orchestrate acts of terrorism inside Pakistan in the past as well."

"Pakistan has consistently raised its concerns with interim Afghan Government, asking them to deny persistent use of Afghan soil by the terrorists and take effective action against such elements," the statement said.

Islamabad accuses "Afghanistan-based" TTP militants of carrying out terrorist attacks inside Pakistan. Kabul rejects the allegation.