ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s military said it had thwarted a daring suicide attack on a Frontier Corps (FC) camp in Jandola area of Tank district, in the country’s northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, on Thursday, killing 10 suspected militants affiliated with the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).
The assault on the FC (a paramilitary force), which began with a massive explosion and turned into a fierce gun battle, marks the second major militant attack in Pakistan this week, underscoring growing security threats in the region.
The attack commenced in the early hours when a suicide bomber detonated a vehicle packed with explosives near the perimeter of Jandola base in the restive tribal district near the Afghan border. The blast tore through the camp’s defences, paving the way for an armed assault by TTP fighters. Security forces responded swiftly, engaging the attackers in a prolonged exchange of heavy gunfire. By mid-morning, the military declared the situation under control, reporting that all assailants had been neutralised.
“The brave soldiers of the Frontier Corps stood their ground and eliminated the threat with precision,” said a spokesperson for the Pakistan military’s Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR). “Ten terrorists were sent to their deaths in this operation, proving once again our resolve to protect the nation.”
While official statements did not disclose casualties among security personnel or civilians, unverified reports circulating on social media platforms, including X, suggested significant damage to the camp and hinted at dozens of potential casualties. Authorities have yet to confirm these claims, and details remain scarce as the area has been cordoned off.
The TTP, a militant group seeking to overthrow Pakistani governance in the tribal regions, claimed responsibility for the attack in a statement released shortly after the incident. The assault comes just two days after another deadly attack in Balochistan, where Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) militants hijacked the Jaffar Express train, killing 21 hostages and four soldiers before being eliminated by security forces.
Analysts see the Jandola attack as part of a broader resurgence of militancy in Pakistan’s border regions, fuelled by instability in neighbouring Afghanistan and the TTP’s renewed aggression. “This is a clear escalation,” said security expert Ayesha Khan in Islamabad. “The TTP is testing the military’s defences, and the proximity to the Afghan border only complicates the response.”
Local residents reported hearing a loud explosion followed by hours of gunfire, with some describing the scene as chaotic. “We hid in our homes, praying it would end soon,” said Javed Khan, a shopkeeper near Jandola. “The army fought hard, but it’s a reminder that we’re never far from danger here.”
