Suicide Attack Kills 7 Pakistani Soldiers Near Afghan Border Amid Fragile Ceasefire

Seven Pakistani soldiers were killed and 13 others injured on Friday, October 17, in a suicide attack near the Afghan border, Pakistani security officials said. The attack targeted a military camp in north Waziristan, where one militant rammed an explosive-laden vehicle into the camp’s boundary wall while two others tried to infiltrate the facility but were shot dead. The attack comes amid a fragile 48-hour ceasefire between Pakistan and the Taliban-led Afghan government, following days of intense fighting earlier this month that killed dozens and injured hundreds. The recent violence erupted after Islamabad demanded Kabul rein in militants reportedly operating from Afghan territory. Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said his country “retaliated” after losing patience with repeated cross-border attacks, while the Taliban denied harboring militants and accused Pakistan of spreading misinformation to provoke tensions. The conflict, described as the worst in decades, has drawn mediation efforts from Saudi Arabia and Qatar, with U.S. President Donald Trump offering to assist in resolving the dispute. The attack underscores the fragility of peace along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border, highlighting the persistent threat of militant violence and the high stakes for regional stability.