Quick summary: Pakistani security forces repelled a militant assault on an army cadet college in Wana after a suicide car bomber and other attackers targeted the campus; two attackers were killed and three were cornered in an administrative block, and all cadets and staff were reported safe. Separately, a powerful explosion outside a district court in Islamabad caused fatalities and injuries, though casualty figures vary as investigations continue. The military blamed outlawed TTP-linked militants and alleged foreign support, which India and Afghanistan deny. The incidents come amid heightened militant activity and tense cross-border relations with Afghanistan.
Pakistani Forces Repel Militant Raid on Cadet College; Blast Near Islamabad Court Injures Civilians
Quick summary: Pakistani security forces repelled a militant assault on an army cadet college in Wana after a suicide car bomber and other attackers targeted the campus; two attackers were killed and three were cornered in an administrative block, and all cadets and staff were reported safe. Separately, a powerful explosion outside a district court in Islamabad caused fatalities and injuries, though casualty figures vary as investigations continue. The military blamed outlawed TTP-linked militants and alleged foreign support, which India and Afghanistan deny. The incidents come amid heightened militant activity and tense cross-border relations with Afghanistan.
03:28 PM, 11/11/2025Conflict
Pakistani forces repel militant assault on cadet college; separate court-area blast leaves casualties
A coordinated militant attack on an army-run cadet college in Wana, in Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, was repelled overnight by security forces, officials said. At the same time, a powerful explosion outside a sprawling district court in Islamabad wounded civilians and damaged parked vehicles, with authorities still investigating the cause.
Attack on cadet college: Local police chief Alamgir Mahsud said the assault involved a suicide car bomber and five other militants identified as Pakistani Taliban fighters. Two of the attackers were quickly killed by troops, while three managed to enter the compound and were cornered in an administrative block. Army commandos joined security forces in a clearance operation and exchanges of fire continued into Tuesday. Mahsud said the administrative block is separate from the main building housing hundreds of cadets and staff, and that "all cadets, instructors and staff remained safe." Officials reported that dozens of nearby homes were badly damaged by the blast and at least 16 civilians were wounded; some troops were also hurt.
Blast near Islamabad court: In Pakistan’s capital, state-run media reported a powerful vehicle-borne blast outside a district court that killed at least five people and wounded 13 others, most of them passersby or people attending hearings. Separately, Islamabad police said a car explosion wounded eight people and said investigations are ongoing. Authorities declined to immediately confirm local media claims that a gas cylinder inside the car caused the detonation. Several vehicles parked outside the court were damaged.
Claims, denials and context: The military labeled the college attackers "Khawarij," a term it uses for members of the outlawed Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). The military also alleged the attackers had outside support from India and handlers in Afghanistan — accusations that New Delhi and Kabul deny. The TTP denied involvement in the college assault.
"All cadets, instructors and staff remained safe," — Alamgir Mahsud, local police chief.
Pakistan has seen a resurgence of militant attacks in recent years. Officials drew a grim historical reference to the 2014 Peshawar school massacre, when Taliban gunmen killed 154 people, mostly children. Cross-border tensions with Afghanistan have risen following drone strikes and clashes this year; a Qatar-brokered ceasefire on Oct. 19 remains in effect, but talks in Istanbul have so far failed to produce a lasting agreement on militant groups operating across the border.
Next steps: Officials said they would provide more details when the clearance operation is complete and investigations into the Islamabad blast conclude. Associated Press correspondents reported from Islamabad and Peshawar.