Pakistani security forces have conducted raids on three Pakistan Taliban hideouts near the Afghan border in recent days, sparking intense clashes that resulted in the deaths of at least 19 soldiers and 45 militants.
According to the military statement, 22 militants were killed during an operation in Bajaur, located in the northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. Another 13 fighters were eliminated in a separate raid in South Waziristan district, The Caspian Post informs via foreign media.
The statement honored 12 soldiers who “fought gallantly” and “paid the ultimate sacrifice” in South Waziristan, highlighting the ongoing challenges Pakistan faces in controlling the resurgence of armed groups.
In a separate incident in Lower Dir, seven soldiers and 10 militants were killed during a firefight after troops uncovered a militant hideout, the army said.
The Pakistan Taliban, also known as Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), claimed responsibility for the attacks via social media. The group, which Islamabad accuses of operating from Afghan soil, is distinct but closely linked to the ruling Taliban in Afghanistan.
The military urged the Taliban government in Kabul to “uphold its responsibilities and deny use of its soil for terrorist activities against Pakistan,” accusing the group of using Afghan territory as a launchpad for attacks inside Pakistan.
Describing the killed militants as “Khwarij” - a term the government applies to the Pakistan Taliban - the military also alleged Indian support for these fighters, though it provided no evidence for this claim.
Pakistan has long accused India of backing the Pakistan Taliban and separatist groups in Balochistan, allegations that India denies. There was no immediate response from either the Taliban authorities in Kabul or the Indian government.
In recent years, Pakistan has seen a surge in armed attacks, many claimed by the Pakistan Taliban, which has gained confidence since the Afghan Taliban took control of Kabul in 2021. Many Pakistan Taliban leaders and fighters reportedly find sanctuary across the border.
Saturday’s clashes marked one of the deadliest confrontations in months in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, where the Pakistan Taliban once controlled significant territory before being pushed back by a major military campaign that began in 2014.
Residents of several Khyber Pakhtunkhwa districts have recently reported seeing Pakistan Taliban graffiti on buildings, fueling fears of the group’s potential return during the region’s tumultuous era of the so-called war on terror, which was led by the United States and spilled over from Afghanistan.
A local official has recently said that both the number of Pakistan Taliban fighters and the frequency of attacks have increased.
Since the start of the year, nearly 460 people - mostly security personnel - have been killed in attacks by armed groups in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and the southern province of Balochistan.
Last year was Pakistan’s deadliest in nearly a decade, with over 1,600 deaths, nearly half of them security forces, according to the Islamabad-based Centre for Research and Security Studies.
