PESHAWAR      -    A suicide bomber struck a convoy in Mir Ali subdivision of North Waziristan tribal district, claiming the lives of three soldiers and injuring around 22 people, including soldiers and oil company personnel.

Local sources said that the suicide bomber, riding a rickshaw, targeted security troops escorting a Mari Petroleum Corporation Limited convoy which was on its way to Bannu from Miranshah in the Khajori area of Mir Ali subdivision. As a result, three troops were martyred, and 22 others including oil company’s personnel were wounded. Following the suicide attack, two vehicles caught fire and were completely destroyed. A rescue operation in the area continued till the filing of this report. The injured were sent to a hospital in Mir Ali, while the majority of the injured were said to be in critical condition and were referred to a hospital in Bannu. Some of the injured were identified as Izharul Haq, Imdadullah, Zarin Ahmad, Fateh Khan, Khalid, Wajid, Ihsan Ali, Imam Bakhsh, Safirullah, Auliya Khan, Khalid Mahmood, Muhammad Imran, Ghulam Abbas, Abdur Rauf, and Basit. Soon after the incident, security forces cordoned off the area and launched a search operation. Meanwhile, Tehreek Taliban Pakistan (TTP) claimed responsibility for the attack. In a press release shared with media persons, TTP spokesman Muhammad Khurasani said that the latest suicide attack was meant to avenge the recent killing of their fighter Mansoor Badri in North Waziristan and others in Lakki Marwat district.