Security forces kill 15 terrorists attempting Pakistan-Afghanistan border infiltration: ISPR

RAWALPINDI: Security forces have killed 15 terrorists attempting to infiltrate Pakistan from Afghanistan opposite North Waziristan, the military’s media wing said on Thursday, after an engagement lasting 36 hours.

According to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the movement of a group of militants belonging to what it calls Indian-sponsored Fitna Al Khwarij was detected on the night of Aug 31-Sept 1, 2026.

The group was attempting to infiltrate through the Pakistan-Afghanistan border opposite North Waziristan District, ISPR said.

“Own troops responded professionally and with patience to engage them successfully,” the military’s media wing said.

As a result of what ISPR described as a “precise and skilful engagement”, 15 militants were killed during the 36-hour operation.

North Waziristan served as a headquarters for local and foreign militants until 2017, when the army said it had cleared the region of insurgents following several operations. Despite the army’s claims, violence has continued, albeit at a lower level.

During a follow-up sanitisation operation, security forces also recovered a significant quantity of weapons and ammunition from the militants.

The military said the recovery had further exposed what it described as the “nefarious designs” of the militants and their facilitators seeking to disrupt peace and stability in Pakistan.

The Pakistan military uses the term “Fitna Al Khawarij” for Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) militants.

Afghan Taliban regime blamed for cross-border terrorism

ISPR said the incident along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border once again vindicates Pakistan’s position regarding what it described as the failure of the Afghan Taliban regime to prevent Afghan soil from being used by the TTP for cross-border terrorism.

The military said that the Afghan Taliban regime had consistently failed to ensure effective border management and honour its international obligations.

Security forces remain committed to defending Pakistan’s frontiers, ISPR said, adding that a sanitisation operation was under way to eliminate any other militants found in the area.

PM Shehbaz praises security forces

It said the counter-terrorism campaign under the vision of “Azm-e-Istehkam”, approved by the Federal Apex Committee on the National Action Plan, would continue at full pace.

The campaign, according to ISPR, aims to eliminate what it described as foreign-sponsored and supported terrorism in the country.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also praised the security forces for thwarting the attempted infiltration in North Waziristan and killing 15 militants.

“Security forces have thwarted the enemy’s nefarious designs with patience and courage,” the prime minister said.

He said the “Azm-e-Istehkam” vision would continue until the menace of terrorism was completely eradicated.

The prime minister said the nation was proud of the armed forces, who were working round the clock to defend the country’s borders.

Pakistan and Afghanistan share a 2,400-kilometre (1,500-mile) border known as the Durand Line, which was drawn by British rulers in 1896. Kabul does not recognise it as an international boundary, a longstanding source of friction between the two neighbours.