Pakistan suicide bombing: Taliban faction claims attack which killed 13; Islamabad blames India | What we know

Hafiz Gul Bahadur, an offshoot group of Pakistani Taliban has claimed responsibility for the deadly attack.

At least 13 security officials were killed in Pakistan in a suicide bombing on Saturday. The attack, which took place in Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, has also left 24 people injured.

Pakistan's Inter-Services Public Relations blamed India for the suicide bombing. However, as per the latest reports, Pakistan's Taliban faction has claimed responsibility for the attack. (AFP/Representational)

Shortly after the attack, an official statement from Pakistan's Inter-Services Public Relations blamed India for the suicide bombing. However, as per the latest reports, Hafiz Gul Bahadur, an offshoot group of Pakistani Taliban has claimed responsibility for the deadly attack.

Pakistan suicide bombing: What we know

• 13 killed, 24 injured: At least 13 security personnel were killed in the terror attack on Saturday. As per the Pakistani military, a vehicle-borne suicide attacker targeted a security convoy in the district’s Mir Ali area, before being intercepted by the convoy’s lead vehicle. At least 24 personnel, including 14 civilians, have been injured in the attack.
• Pak Taliban faction claims attack: As per an AFP report, the suicide bombing was claimed by the Hafiz Gul Bahadur armed group, a faction of the Pakistan Taliban, or TPP. As per an AP report, Pakistani analysts have shared that the Hafiz Gul Bahadur faction was “more lethal” than the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan.
• Pak blames India: Pakistan has blamed India for the attack, further accusing the neighouring state of sponsoring terrorism in Islamabad. “The security forces of Pakistan, in step with [the] nation, remain steadfast in their resolve to eradicate Indian-sponsored terrorism from the country, and such sacrifices of our brave soldiers and innocent civilians further reinforce our unwavering commitment to safeguarding our nation at all costs,” read the official statement issued by the ISPR.
• India denies role: India has dismissed and denied Pakistan's allegations against it, linking Delhi to the suicide bombing. "We have seen an official statement by the Pakistan Army seeking to blame India for the attack in Waziristan on 28 June. We reject this statement with the contempt it deserves,” said the Ministry of External Affairs.
• Zardari condemns attack: President Asif Ali Zardari condemned the attack on the security convoy and paid tribute to the 13 deceased. “The martyrs ensured the security of the motherland by sacrificing their lives,” said Zardari, adding that "such a cowardly attack cannot dampen the morale of the nation."