Pakistani Military Kills Nine Militants in Thwarted Attack on Mianwali Airbase; Tehreek-e-Jihad Pakistan Claims Responsibility

No Pakistani troop casualties in failed assault on Punjab airbase; Tehreek-e-Jihad Pakistan, an affiliate of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, asserts the group is responsible for rising violence in the region following Taliban's takeover in Afghanistan.

Pakistan's military thwarted an attack by Islamist militants on the Mianwali airbase in the northeastern province of Punjab, killing all nine attackers. No Pakistani troop casualties were reported in the attack.
The assault, claimed by the Tehreek-e-Jihad Pakistan, resulted in minor damage to three non-operational airplanes.
Following the thwarted attack, a defense operation was launched in the region to eliminate any potential remaining threats.
Tehreek-e-Jihad Pakistan, a recently emerged militant group, is an affiliate of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) movement and is believed to be emboldened by the return to power of the Taliban in neighboring Afghanistan in 2021.
The military remains on high alert, with official statements declaring their readiness to defend against any threat. Current and former officials have condemned the ongoing violence in the country.
The attack comes amid rising violence in Pakistan, including deadly explosions and ambushes on military convoys, as well as political turmoil with Prime Minister Imran Khan removed from office in 2022 and general elections delayed to February 8.