Pakistani security forces have conducted a series of targeted operations in the northwestern region, resulting in the deaths of 30 militants linked to the Pakistani Taliban, according to a military statement released on Friday. The raids were launched in response to a deadly ambush earlier this week that claimed the lives of 11 soldiers, including two senior officers, in Orakzai, a district within Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. The military identified the slain militants as members of “Khwarij,” a term used by the government to describe groups allegedly supported by India, including the banned Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).
The operations, carried out on Wednesday and Thursday, were described as a decisive response to the ambush. “These successful operations have avenged the heinous act and brought the main perpetrators to justice,” the military stated. It further emphasized that efforts are ongoing to eliminate any remaining “Indian-sponsored Khwarij” in the area, underscoring Pakistan’s resolve to eradicate terrorism.
In a separate incident on Friday night, a group of Pakistani Taliban militants, including suicide bombers, attacked a police training center in Dera Ismail Khan, another city in the northwest. Local police reported multiple blasts and an ongoing exchange of gunfire, with reinforcements dispatched to the scene. The TTP claimed responsibility for the attack, which occurred hours after Pakistan’s army spokesperson, Lt. Gen. Ahmad Sharif, urged Afghanistan’s Taliban government to prevent the use of its territory for launching attacks on Pakistan.
Pakistan has long accused India of supporting separatist movements in Balochistan and the TTP, allegations India denies. The recent surge in militant violence has strained relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan, with many TTP leaders believed to operate from sanctuaries across the Afghan border. Pakistani Defense Minister Khawaja Mohammad Asif reiterated the country’s commitment to responding decisively to such attacks, stating that Pakistan would target “those places from where insurgents attack our security forces.”
The escalation in violence comes amid a broader resurgence of militant activity in the region, with the TTP gaining momentum since the Taliban’s takeover of Kabul in 2021. The situation remains tense as Pakistani forces continue their operations to neutralize threats and restore security.