Seven Pakistani soldiers killed in suicide attack near the Afghan border amid ceasefire - Here's what we know
The bombing near the Afghan border comes just days after Pakistan and Afghanistan agreed to a ceasefire following days of cross-border fighting that killed dozens and wounded hundreds on both sides.
At least seven Pakistani soldiers were killed in a suicide attack in a compound of security forces in Pakistan's northwest near the Afghan border Friday, police said as per reports.
The bombing near the Afghan border comes just days after Pakistan and Afghanistan agreed to a ceasefire following days of cross-border fighting that killed dozens and wounded hundreds on both sides. The ceasefire, which began Wednesday and is set to expire Friday evening.
How did the bombing happen?
The attack took place in Mir Ali, a city in the province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Irfan Ali, a local police official, said. The impact of the bombing damaged nearby homes, he said.
Local media reported that Qatar has offered to host peace talks between Pakistan and Afghanistan in Doha, though neither government has confirmed the offer.
According to AP, Pakistan has witnessed a surge in attacks since January, mostly blamed on the Pakistani Taliban, known as Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan. It has strained ties between Islamabad and Kabul as Pakistan says the group is being sheltered in Afghanistan.
Pakistan's military has carried out multiple operations against militants in the region this week, killing 88 militants, according to security officials and police in the region.
What happened between Pakistan and Afghanistan?
Tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan escalated after Pakistan reportedly carried out air strikes in Kabul on Thursday. It followed clashes between the two sides.
This week’s clashes between the two countries were the deadliest since 2021, when the Taliban seized control in Afghanistan following the collapse of the Western-backed government as US and NATO forces withdrew after 20 years of war.
Tensions have remained high along the border since last week when Kabul accused Islamabad of carrying out a strike in the Afghan capital, a claim Pakistan’s government and military have not acknowledged. Pakistani security officials, however, said the strike was aimed at targeting Noor Wali, the head of the TTP.
The Pakistani Taliban shared a video Thursday claiming Wali is alive and hiding somewhere in northwestern Pakistan.
Afghanistan-Pakistan ceasefire
On Wednesday, the Taliban government spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid took to the X social media platform to inform that a ceasefire was “established between the two countries after 5:30 pm [1300 GMT] this evening.”
The Taliban government in Afghanistan also ordered the army to respect the ceasefire. "The Islamic Emirate also orders all its forces to respect this ceasefire," Mujahid said.