By Staff Reporter
ISLAMABAD: Security forces killed 25 militants, including four suicide bombers, and seized a large cache of weapons and explosives in two separate operations along the border with Afghanistan, thwarting what the military described as major infiltration attempts by a banned terrorist group amid delicate talks between the two countries.
The clashes, which occurred on Oct. 24 and 25 in the northwestern districts of North Waziristan and Kurram, resulted in the deaths of five Pakistani soldiers, the military’s media wing, the Inter-Services Public Relations, said in a statement on Sunday.
The incidents unfolded as delegations from Pakistan and Afghanistan met in Istanbul for negotiations aimed at preventing a return to the deadly border skirmishes that erupted earlier this month, killing dozens on both sides. The talks, which began on Saturday and continued into Sunday, focused on curbing cross-border militant movements, respecting national sovereignty, and addressing trade and refugee issues, according to state-run Pakistan Television.
The military said security forces detected movements of two large groups of militants, referred to by the Pakistani government as “khwarij,” a term for the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan, attempting to cross from Afghanistan near Ghaki in Kurram District and Spinwam in North Waziristan District. “Troops effectively engaged these groups of khwarij [and] as a result of precise and skilful engagements, fifteen khwarij, including four suicide bombers belonging to [the] Indian proxy, Fitna al Khwarij were sent to hell in Spinwam, North Waziristan District,” the statement said.
It added that another 10 infiltrating militants were killed in Ghaki, Kurram District, and that a large cache of weapons, ammunition and explosives was recovered from the slain militants. The soldiers who died in the firefights were identified as Havildar Manzoor Hussain, 35, of Ghizar District; Sepoy Nauman Ilyas Kiyani, 23, of Poonch District; Sepoy Muhammad Adil, 24, of Kasur District; Sepoy Shah Jehan, 25, of Vehari District; and Sepoy Ali Asghar, 25, of Pak Pattan District. The military said they “embraced martyrdom while fighting gallantly.”
The statement highlighted the timing of the infiltrations, noting that they occurred “at a time when delegations of Pakistan and Afghanistan are engaged in talks in Türkiye; casting doubts on the intentions of the Interim Afghan Government with regards to addressing the issue of terrorism emanating from its soil.”
Pakistan has long accused Afghanistan of harbouring groups like the TTP and the separatist Baloch Liberation Army, which have targeted its security forces and civilians. Kabul has denied the allegations, but the issue has strained relations between the neighbours. “Pakistan has consistently been asking the Interim Afghan Government to ensure effective border management on their side of the border and is expected to fulfil its obligations of the Doha Agreement and deny the use of Afghan soil by Khwarij against Pakistan,” the military statement said.
The Istanbul talks represent the latest effort to ease tensions after border clashes broke out on Oct. 11, following Pakistani airstrikes on Afghan territory in response to the killing of a dozen Pakistani soldiers in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province, which borders Afghanistan. The skirmishes continued intermittently until the two sides agreed to a ceasefire in Doha on Oct. 19. “The second round of talks between Pakistan and the Afghan Taliban has not yet concluded, with deliberations on Pakistan’s proposal still underway in Istanbul,” Pakistan Television reported on Sunday.
The broadcaster said the discussions lasted nine hours on Saturday and centered on a three-point agenda: establishing a joint monitoring and oversight mechanism to curb cross-border militant movement; ensuring respect for national sovereignty under existing laws and international obligations; and addressing trade matters, refugee repatriation, and the separation of bilateral issues from internal political pressures.
The TTP, seen as an ally of the Afghan Taliban but operating as a separate group, has intensified its attacks on Pakistan since the Taliban’s takeover of Kabul in 2021. Pakistan has conducted military operations in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa for over a decade to root out TTP militants, who officials say regrouped during a fragile truce in 2022 that the group later breached.
The country has experienced a surge in terrorist attacks, particularly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan provinces, mostly targeting police, law enforcement personnel and security forces. Last week, security forces neutralised 34 “India-backed” terrorists during multiple operations across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
The military said sanitization operations were underway to eliminate any remaining militants in the area, as part of a relentless counter-terrorism campaign under the vision of “Azm e Istehkam,” approved by the Federal Apex Committee on the National Action Plan. “The security forces of Pakistan remain resolute and unwavering in their commitment to defend the nation’s frontiers, and such sacrifices of our brave soldiers further strengthen our resolve,” the statement said.
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