Pakistan’s security forces killed 15 militants during a 36-hour operation after detecting an attempted infiltration across the Pakistan-Afghanistan border near North Waziristan, the military said on Thursday.
According to the Inter-Services Public Relations, the movement of a group attempting to enter Pakistan was detected during the night between August 31 and September 1 opposite North Waziristan district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Security forces subsequently engaged the group in an operation that continued for 36 hours. ISPR said 15 militants were killed during the engagement.
The military described those killed as members of “Fitna al-Khawarij,” the terminology used by Pakistani authorities for militants associated with the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan and related groups.
ISPR also described the militants as “India-sponsored.” This is an allegation made by Pakistan’s military and should be attributed accordingly; the Geo News report does not provide independent evidence establishing Indian sponsorship of the group involved in this particular infiltration attempt.
During a follow-up sanitisation operation, security personnel recovered what ISPR described as a significant quantity of weapons and ammunition from the militants. The military said operations were continuing in the area to locate any other fighters who may be present.
The incident has again brought attention to Pakistan’s concerns about militant movement across its western border.
ISPR said the infiltration attempt supported Islamabad’s longstanding position that Afghanistan’s Taliban authorities have failed to prevent Afghan territory from being used for cross-border terrorism. It also accused Kabul of failing to ensure effective border management and meet its international obligations.
Afghanistan’s Taliban government has previously rejected Pakistani accusations that it allows militants to use Afghan territory to conduct attacks across the border.
The latest operation comes amid persistent militant violence in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan. According to figures cited by Geo News from the Centre for Research and Security Studies, the two provinces accounted for nearly 96% of Pakistan’s violence-related fatalities during the second quarter of 2026.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was the worst affected, accounting for more than 61% of the fatalities recorded during the quarter, while Balochistan accounted for approximately 34%.
The military said counterterrorism operations would continue under the government’s Azm-e-Istehkam framework, which seeks to coordinate Pakistan’s efforts against militancy and terrorism.
For now, the immediate security operation near North Waziristan remains ongoing. ISPR has said forces are continuing to sanitise the area for any additional militants following the 36-hour engagement.
