PESHAWAR, Pakistan — On Saturday, the Pakistani Taliban announced their responsibility for a lethal attack on a military checkpoint in the northwest region of the country.
The militant organization claimed that the early morning assault resulted in the deaths of 35 soldiers, along with 15 others suffering injuries. They also reported the capture of military equipment, including night vision goggles and firearms. This incident marks another offensive by the Pakistani Taliban against military personnel in the volatile province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, which shares its border with Afghanistan. These claims were made through one of their WhatsApp groups.

While the military has not yet issued an official statement regarding this incident in South Waziristan, a security official revealed that both light and heavy weaponry were utilized in the attack. According to the official, the assault led to the deaths of 16 soldiers and left eight injured. This source spoke on the condition of anonymity due to restrictions on media communications.

Since the collapse of a ceasefire in November 2022—following unsuccessful negotiations facilitated by the Taliban leaders in Afghanistan—the Pakistani Taliban has significantly intensified their assaults on military and police forces.

In addition to this development, the Pakistani army reported on Saturday that a military court had sentenced 25 individuals allegedly involved in violent protests that erupted last year after the arrest of former Prime Minister Imran Khan.
Thousands of protesters targeted the military’s headquarters located in Rawalpindi, attacked an air base in Mianwali in eastern Punjab province, and set fire to a building belonging to state-run Radio Pakistan in the northwest.

The sentences given ranged from two to ten years in prison, serving as a “stark reminder” from the military that individuals should refrain from taking the law into their own hands.