Khaberni - The Pakistani military announced the killing of 11 of its soldiers in a clash with members of the Pakistani Taliban, adding that 19 elements of that movement were killed in the clash that took place in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province bordering Afghanistan.
The Pakistani military clarified that among its members who were killed were two officers with the rank of lieutenant colonel and major, stating, "They were martyred during an intelligence operation in the Orakzai area of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa."
A statement issued by the Public Relations Department of the Pakistani military indicated that security forces "carried out an intelligence operation last night in the Orakzai area following the receipt of reports about the presence of terrorists belonging to the group 'Fitna al-Khawarij' associated with India."
The name "Fitna al-Khawarij" is the official term used by the Pakistani authorities for the banned Pakistani Taliban movement.
Pakistani Taliban claims responsibility, government vows action
On their part, Reuters reported from five Pakistani security officials who said, "Roadside bombs targeted the military convoy before a large number of militants launched an armed attack in the Karam area in the northwestern part of the country."
The agency mentioned that it received a statement sent to its correspondent from the Pakistani Taliban movement which claimed the attack and said that its fighters attacked the convoy.
Pakistani Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif praised the country's security forces "for killing 19 terrorists", and expressed "sorrow over the martyrdom of soldiers", stating in a release from his office: "The sacrifices of the brave sons of the security forces will never be in vain."
According to local research centers, Pakistan has seen an escalation in armed attacks, particularly in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Baluchistan regions, mostly targeting police, law enforcement personnel, and security forces.
Two reports issued last week, by the "Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies" and the "Centre for Research and Security Studies", about militant violence in the country during the past month, pointed out that the first three quarters of 2025 witnessed violence nearly equal to the entirety of 2024.
Islamabad says that militants use neighboring Afghanistan for training and planning attacks against Pakistan, while India, its arch-rival, is funding and supporting them, which both countries have denied.
