PESHAWAR, Nov 20: A suicide attack by Islamist militants on a military outpost in northwest Pakistan has resulted in the deaths of 12 soldiers, the country’s military confirmed on Wednesday. The attack occurred on Tuesday in the northern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, where militants rammed an explosives-laden vehicle into the perimeter wall of the outpost, causing significant damage to the surrounding infrastructure.

In a statement, Pakistan’s military media wing reported that a sanitization operation is underway in the area, with the perpetrators of the attack being actively pursued. The statement also confirmed that six militants had been killed during the operation. However, the military did not disclose further details regarding the group responsible for the attack. Islamist militant leader Hafiz Gul Bahadur’s group claimed responsibility for the assault.

This deadly attack comes amid a resurgence of militant violence in Pakistan’s rugged northwest and a growing ethnic separatist insurgency in the southwest. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, in response to the uptick in attacks, announced a new military offensive against separatist insurgents in the southwestern Balochistan province. Balochistan, which borders Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, is also home to strategic Chinese Belt and Road projects, making the region even more sensitive amid rising instability.