At least 15 Pakistani security personnel were killed in a suicide attack in Bajaur district of northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. Damangi Scout Camp in Loy Mamand area was targeted and explosives laden vehicles were used. After the attack, armed militants entered the camp and opened fire.
According to local sources, fierce clashes are still going on there. Eyewitnesses said that the area was shaken by the sound of loud explosion in the dark of night. A vehicle loaded with explosives crashed near the camp’s main gate. Instantly, the flames shot up into the sky. All around is smoke and dust. Then the shooting started.
The militants entered the camp and clashed with the security forces. Pakistani Army and Frontier Corps sources are yet to release official details. However, according to local media and social media reports, the attackers were affiliated with Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan.
TTP’s Bajaur wing commander Malang Bacha has reportedly claimed responsibility for the attack. The attack was claimed to be in retaliation for the recent operation by the Pakistan Army in Afghanistan’s Kunar province. The rescue team rushed to the spot after receiving the news of the attack. But they were also attacked on the way. The rescue operation was interrupted.
Army helicopters are patrolling the area. Local authorities have declared a state of emergency and cordoned off the area. The injured have been taken to a nearby hospital. Doctors said that the condition of many is critical. Bajaur district has long been known for militancy.
The area is frequented by the TTP and other militant groups due to its proximity to the Afghan border Such attacks have increased in the last few years. Border security in Afghanistan has weakened since the Taliban came to power, experts say. Pakistan has repeatedly urged the Afghan Taliban not to harbor militants. The attack could further escalate diplomatic tensions between the two countries.
