PAKISTAN: A suicide attack by Islamist militants on a military outpost in northwest Pakistan has claimed the lives of 12 soldiers, the country's military confirmed on Wednesday.

The attack occurred in the northern region of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province on Tuesday when militants drove an explosives-laden vehicle into the perimeter wall of the army outpost. The explosion also caused damage to nearby infrastructure, according to the military’s media wing.

In response to the attack, a sanitization operation is underway in the area. The military has vowed that those responsible for this brutal act will be held accountable. The operation also resulted in the death of six militants involved in the assault.

Although the military did not name the group responsible for the attack, Islamist militant leader Hafiz Gul Bahadur’s group claimed responsibility for the assault.

This attack highlights the growing security challenges in Pakistan, where the northwest is experiencing a rise in militant violence. The region is also facing increasing unrest due to a separatist movement in the southwest.

In another development on Wednesday, Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif announced the launch of a fresh military operation targeting separatist insurgents in Balochistan province, which lies adjacent to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Balochistan is significant due to its proximity to key Chinese Belt and Road projects, and the area has seen a series of attacks in recent months.

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