Roadside bombs, then gun attack: 11 Pakistani paramilitary troops, 19 TTP militants killed near Afghan border; TTP claims responsibility

Nineteen terrorists of the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and 11 soldiers were killed during an intelligence-based operation in the Orakzai district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, bordering Afghanistan, the military said. The operation was conducted on the intervening night of October 7-8 following reports of the presence of militants belonging to "Fitna al-Khawarij," a term used for the TTP, the military's media wing said in a statement.

During intense clashes between security forces and the militants, 19 terrorists "were sent to hell," the statement said reported PTI, adding that 11 Pakistani soldiers, including a Lieutenant Colonel and a Major, were also killed. A sanitisation operation is ongoing to eliminate any remaining militants in the area.

Pakistan has seen a surge in militant attacks, especially in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, after the TTP called off its ceasefire with the government in November 2022 and vowed to target security forces, police, and law enforcement agencies.

According to the Centre for Research and Security Studies (CRSS), Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was the worst-hit region in the third quarter of 2025, suffering nearly 71 per cent (638) of total violence-related fatalities and over 67 per cent (221) of violent incidents. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, both sharing porous borders with Afghanistan, accounted for more than 96 per cent of terrorist-related violence in the country.

According to the Reuters sources, the attack targeted a convoy of paramilitary troops operating in a volatile region that has seen repeated militant assaults in recent years. Security forces have launched a search operation to track down the attackers, while the government has yet to issue an official statement.



Roadside bombs hit the convoy before a large group of militants opened fire in the northwestern district of Kurram, five Pakistani security officials told Reuters.

The Pakistani Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack in a statement to a Reuters reporter. The army’s public relations wing did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

In recent months, the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), which seeks to overthrow the government and impose its hardline interpretation of Islamic governance, has intensified attacks on security forces. Islamabad has accused the group of using neighbouring Afghanistan to train and plan assaults on Pakistani targets, a charge that Kabul denies.

(With inputs from news agency PTI and Reuters)