RAWALPINDI: Security forces successfully thwarted an attempted infiltration and retaliated decisively against a cross-border attack by militants in the Kurram and North Waziristan regions, security sources told Geo News on Saturday.
According to security sources, a group of 20 to 25 khawarij, in coordination with the Afghan Taliban, launched an unprovoked attack on Pakistani posts using heavy weaponry this morning.
In a swift and effective response, Pakistani forces not only neutralised the infiltration attempt but also delivered a strong counterattack.
Reports claim that over 15 militants, including Afghan Taliban members, were killed, with many others injured. The operation forced the Afghan Taliban to abandon six posts along the border, incurring heavy losses on their side.
Initial reports suggest significant damage on the Afghan side, with further casualties likely. Despite the intensity of the exchange, Pakistan’s security forces reported no fatalities and only three injuries.
The development comes against the backdrop of increased terrorist attacks inside Pakistan since the interim Afghan Taliban-led administration came to the helm in Kabul.
Terrorist attacks have been rampant in the provinces of KP and Balochistan — which abut Afghanistan — targeting especially the law enforcers and security forces.
Islamabad has time again urged Kabul to not allow its territory to be used by terrorist groups to carry out attacks against Pakistan.
“We desire good ties with them (Kabul) but TTP should be stopped from killing our innocent people [….] This is our red line,” Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said in a cabinet address on Friday.
The diplomatic effort is coupled with ongoing kinetic action against terrorists by security forces who eliminated 13 terrorists in three KP operations earlier this week.
A day before that, forces had gunned down 13 terrorists during an intelligence-based operation in South Waziristan.
The third quarter of 2024 (July-September) witnessed a sharp uptick in fatalities in terrorist violence and counter-terrorism campaigns with a 90% surge in violence, according to a report issued by the Centre for Research and Security Studies (CRSS).
A total of 722 people were killed, including civilians, security personnel, and outlaws, while 615 others were wounded in as many as 328 incidents recorded during the period under review.
Nearly 97% of these fatalities occurred in KP and Balochistan — marking the highest percentage in a decade, and over 92% of these incidents of terror attacks and security forces’ operations were recorded in the same provinces.
In 2024 alone, the military has reported 383 soldiers and 925 militants killed in various clashes.
