Islamabad: The Pak Air Force base in central Pakistan’s Mianwali area has reportedly come under a massive terror attack. However, the troops foiled the attack, killing nine of the attackers.
“Due to the swift and effective response by the troops, (the attack) has been foiled and thwarted, ensuring the safety and security of personnel and assets,” the military said in a statement, adding that three grounded aircraft and a fuel tanker have been damaged in the attack.
According to reports, Tehreek-e-Jihad Pakistan (TJP), a recently established group that has carried out many attacks in the country this year, took responsibility for the attack.
Mr. Anwaar ul-Haq Kakar, the country’s caretaker Prime Minister, praised the air force’s response to the attack. “Any attempt to undermine our security will meet with unwavering resistance,” Mr. Kakar stated on the social media platform X.
The attack occurred a day after 14 troops were murdered in the southwest Baluchistan region after an ambush on a military convoy. Additionally, on the last day, three people were killed and over 20 were injured in a bomb and gun attack on a police van.
This year has seen an increase in violence in Pakistan, mostly due to the increased activities of armed groups such as the TJP and Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), a banned group ideologically aligned with the Afghan Taliban. The country is also grappling with political and economic crises, which have led to a general decline in law and order.
As security concerns worsen, the country is also scheduled to hold its delayed national elections on February 8.
TRENDING | Pakistan’s delayed elections to take place in February 2024
