- Indian-sponsored terrorists attempting to cross border amid a ceasefire neutralized in Mohmand IBO
- ISPR says 34 terrorists earlier killed in three operations in North Waziristan, South Waziristan and Bannu
RAWALPINDI: Security forces killed 45 to 50 militants belonging to the Indian proxy Fitna al-Khwarij while foiling an infiltration attempt along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, security sources said on Thursday.
According to the sources, the operation—launched under an intelligence-based operation (IBO) in Mohmand district—targeted militants trying to cross into Pakistani territory under the cover of the ongoing ceasefire between Pakistan and Afghanistan. Several militants were injured during the exchange of fire, which continued for several hours, while the area was subsequently cordoned off for a clearance operation, the security sources added.
Prior to this, security forces had killed 34 terrorists in three separate IBOs conducted in North Waziristan, South Waziristan, and Bannu districts between October 13 and 15, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said earlier on Thursday.
“Sanitisation operations are being carried out to eliminate any other Indian-sponsored terrorists in the area,” the ISPR statement said, reaffirming that the “relentless counterterrorism campaign under the vision Azm-e-Istehkam—as approved by the federal apex committee on the National Action Plan—will continue at full pace to eradicate foreign-sponsored and supported terrorism from Pakistan.”
Kabul-Islamabad escalating border tensions
The latest operations come amid heightened tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan, following the Afghan regime’s reluctance to act against terrorist groups operating from its soil amid a surge in cross-border attacks.
In response to recent aggression, Pakistani forces carried out precision strikes on key Taliban positions in Afghanistan’s Kandahar province earlier this week, destroying multiple strongholds. A day later, both sides agreed to a 48-hour ceasefire—at Kabul’s request—to allow for dialogue aimed at de-escalation.
Since the Taliban’s return to power in 2021, Pakistan has witnessed a sharp rise in cross-border terrorism, particularly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan. The two countries share a porous 2,500-kilometre border, which serves as a vital trade and transit corridor but has also been exploited by militant groups.
Islamabad has repeatedly urged the Afghan Taliban to prevent its soil from being used by the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and allied outfits for attacks inside Pakistan. Its concerns have been echoed in a recent United Nations Security Council (UNSC) monitoring report, which pointed to operational, logistical, and financial linkages between the Taliban regime and the TTP.
