Security forces in North Waziristan stop an attack on a camp, killing four soldiers.

The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said Friday that security forces have successfully thwarted an attempt on a military installation in the Boya district of North Waziristan, killing four terrorists and martyring four troops.

The assailants were members of Fitna-al-Khawarij, the state-designated term for militants associated with the outlawed Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan, according to the military’s media wing. According to ISPR, the group was sponsored by India and carried out a concerted attack on a security forces camp in the Bannu subdivision of the North Waziristan district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Early on Friday morning, a suicide bomber crashed an explosives-laden car into the Boya fort’s outer wall, setting off a devastating explosion. According to witnesses, the blast was so loud that it was be heard almost 25 kilometers away in Miranshah. Sections of the border construction collapsed as a result of the blast, which also partially damaged the battalion headquarters’ outside wall.

Four to five militants tried to enter the camp after the explosion, according to ISPR. Responding quickly, security guards engaged the assailants in a heavy firefight that stopped them from entering the building. During the first response, three militants were immediately slain, and as the operation progressed, the fourth was neutralized.

Four Pakistani Army troops accepted martyrdom during the intense gunfight. They were recognized by ISPR as Sepoy Sufiyan Haider, Sepoy Riffat, Havaldar Muhammad Waqas, and Naik Khanwaiz. According to the military, the soldiers battled valiantly and prevented the attackers from doing more harm inside the camp.

Confusion over the extent of the breach resulted from earlier police reports that said attackers had momentarily gained entry to the property and started shooting. ISPR underlined, however, that prompt and efficient operations brought the situation under control and stopped the attackers from gaining any ground within the camp.

A mosque and other neighboring civilian properties were also damaged by the explosion. According to local police, the explosion and flying debris injured at least 15 individuals, including women and children. Several of the injured were reportedly in critical condition after being transported to medical institutions in Miranshah.

Security personnel cordoned off the area and began a thorough clearance operation as soon as the attack occurred. Specialized bomb disposal squads were sent to gather forensic evidence and examine the damaged locations, while a sizable detachment of police and security officers arrived at the scene. Throughout the day, rescue 1122 teams and medical personnel continued their emergency and relief efforts.

Investigations were underway, according to ISPR, and evidence was being collected from the scene. The military went on to say that Khawarij forces operating from Afghanistan planned and enabled the attack, characterizing the episode as a clear contradiction to assertions that militant groups no longer operate from Afghan territory.

The event happened over two months after a similar attack was stopped in North Waziristan’s Mir Ali district, where security forces killed four terrorists after stopping a suicide bombing attempt on a military installation. In that incident, a vehicle loaded with explosives was pushed into the perimeter wall of the camp, and then other attackers attempted to attack.