‘At least 23 soldiers killed in terror attack in Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province’

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa [Pakistan]: At least 23 soldiers were killed on Tuesday when militants linked to a Pakistani Taliban affiliate rammed an explosive-laden truck into a security forces’ post in restive Khyber-Paktunkhwa’s Dera Ismail Khan district, the army said.

The Inter-Services Public Relations – the media wing of the army – said that the terrorists rammed the explosive-laden vehicle after their attempts to gain entry were ‘effectively thwarted’ in the unruly Dera Ismail Khan district bordering the South Waziristan tribal district.

The attack was followed by another suicide attack, leading to the collapse of the building, causing multiple casualties.

At least 23 soldiers were killed as a group of six terrorists attacked the security forces’ post in Dera Ismail Khan’s Daraban area in the early hours of December 12, the army said.

All the attackers were killed by the security forces while fresh contingents of police were rushed to the site, and a subsequent search operation was launched, officials said.

The Tehrik-e-Jihad Pakistan (TJP), a newly formed militant group that is an affiliate of the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), claimed responsibility for the attack.

TJP spokesperson Mullah Qasim termed the attack a “suicide mission” (Fidayein).

The toll is expected to rise as several injured are critical, police said.

An emergency was declared in district hospitals while all schools and colleges were closed due to the attack.

The terror organisation has been behind some major attacks in Pakistan.