Pakistani officials called in Afghanistan’s top diplomat Monday to formally complain about a deadly suicide bombing that claimed the lives of 15 police officers in the country’s northwestern border region.
The Pakistani government is pointing fingers at the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), commonly called the Pakistani Taliban, for Saturday’s devastating attack. Pakistani leaders have repeatedly accused Afghanistan’s Taliban rulers of providing safe haven to the TTP, which maintains close ties to the Afghan Taliban despite being a distinct organization. Afghanistan’s government rejects these allegations, insisting it prevents militant groups from launching attacks on neighboring countries from Afghan territory.
According to Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry, officials presented their complaint to Afghanistan’s charge d’affaires, stating that “a detailed investigation into the incident, along with evidence collected and technical intelligence” showed the attack was “masterminded by terrorists residing in Afghanistan.”
The ministry also warned that Pakistan “reserves the right to respond decisively against the perpetrators of this barbaric act,” according to their official statement.
Afghan officials have not yet responded to the diplomatic protest.
The deadly assault occurred in Bannu district within Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, where an explosive-packed vehicle driven by a suicide bomber struck near a security checkpoint while armed accomplices provided support. The blast sparked intense gunfire between militants and security forces. Authorities report that some officers died during the firefight, while others perished when portions of their building crumbled from the explosion. The attack also left four officers injured.
A recently established offshoot of the Pakistani Taliban called Ittehad-ul-Mujahideen Pakistan has taken credit for the assault. Pakistani authorities maintain this group operates as a cover organization for the broader Pakistani Taliban movement.
The country has experienced an uptick in extremist violence over recent years, with officials attributing much of the bloodshed to TTP activities.
Relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan remain strained, with border conflicts resulting in hundreds of casualties since late February. Chinese mediators facilitated peace discussions between Afghan Taliban and Pakistani representatives in early April, yet intermittent cross-border skirmishes persist, albeit with reduced frequency compared to previous months.
