Suicide bomber kills 15 at northwest Pakistan checkpoint

A suicide bomber driving an explosives-laden vehicle attacked a joint security checkpoint in northwestern Pakistan overnight, killing 15 personnel and prompting a retaliatory operation that left 12 militants dead, according to a military statement on Friday, July 24, 2026. The assault targeted the Manji Khel checkpoint in the Tank district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, an area near the Afghan border that has long been a militant stronghold.

The military said the attackers first attempted to storm the facility, which was jointly manned by soldiers and police officers. After being repelled, one militant drove a vehicle packed with explosives into the checkpoint's outer perimeter wall, causing a powerful blast that severely damaged the site. The casualties included 12 soldiers, two police officers, and a former government official from the forest department.

The Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), a local militant group also known as the Pakistani Taliban, claimed responsibility for the attack. In a statement, the group said four suicide bombers had taken part in the assault. The TTP has waged an insurgency against the Pakistani state since 2007, seeking to overthrow the government...