Pakistan foils a militant attempt to seize cadets at an army-run college

DERA ISMAIL KHAN, Pakistan -- A swift effect by information forces foiled an effort by Pakistani Taliban militants to take cadets hostage astatine an army-run college overnight erstwhile a termination car bomber and 5 different attackers targeted the installation successful northwestern Pakistan, constabulary said Tuesday.

The onslaught began Monday evening erstwhile the bomber tried to tempest the cadet assemblage successful Wana, a metropolis successful Khyber Pakhtunkhwa state adjacent the Afghan borderline which until caller years served arsenic a basal for the Pakistani Taliban, al-Qaida and different overseas militants.

According to Alamgir Mahsud, the section constabulary chief, 2 of the militants were rapidly killed by troops Monday evening portion 3 militants managed to participate the sprawling compound earlier being cornered successful an administrative block. The army’s commandoes were among the forces conducting a clearance cognition and an intermittent speech of occurrence is ongoing, Mahsud said.

The administrative artifact is distant from the gathering lodging hundreds of cadets and different staff.

“All cadets, instructors and unit remained safe,” Mahsud said, adding that troops deployed astatine the assemblage prevented the assailants from reaching the main gathering of the college.

He said dozens of houses adjacent the assemblage were severely damaged by the interaction of the monolithic termination bombing, which wounded astatine slightest 16 civilians. Some troops were besides wounded successful the battle and ensuing shootout, helium said, adding further details volition beryllium shared erstwhile the cognition is over.

There were nary updates from the subject astir the ongoing operation.

However, the subject said successful a connection Monday that the onslaught was carried retired by “Khawarij,” a word utilized by the authorities for members of the outlawed Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan, oregon TTP. The radical is designated a violent enactment by some the United States and the United Nations.

The subject alleged the attackers had enactment from India and handlers successful Afghanistan, the accusations Islamabad often levels against New Delhi and Kabul who contradict it.

The TTP, which is abstracted from but allied with Afghanistan’s Taliban, denied engagement successful the assemblage attack. The radical has been emboldened since the Taliban seized powerfulness successful Kabul successful 2021, and galore of its leaders and fighters are believed to person taken refuge successful Afghanistan.

Pakistan has seen a surge successful militant attacks successful caller years. The deadliest battle connected a schoolhouse occurred successful 2014 erstwhile Taliban gunmen killed 154 people, mostly children, astatine an army-run schoolhouse successful Peshawar. According to the military, the assailants wanted to repetition Monday what happened during the 2014 onslaught successful Peshawar.

Tensions betwixt Pakistan and Afghanistan person risen successful caller months. Kabul blamed Islamabad for drone strikes connected Oct. 9 that killed respective radical successful the Afghan superior and vowed retaliation. The ensuing cross-border warring killed dozens of soldiers, civilians and militants earlier Qatar brokered a ceasefire connected Oct. 19, which remains successful place.

Since then, 2 rounds of bid talks person been held successful Istanbul — the latest connected Thursday — but ended without agreement aft Kabul refused to supply a written assurance that the TTP and different militant groups would not usage Afghan territory against Pakistan. An earlier, little ceasefire betwixt Pakistan and the TTP, brokered by Kabul successful 2022, collapsed aboriginal aft the radical accused Islamabad of violating it.

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Ahmed reported from Islamabad. Associated Press writer Riaz Khan contributed to this communicative from Peshawar, Pakistan.