Pakistan’s security forces killed 21 militants during a series of operations in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the military’s media wing announced on Sunday.
The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said 10 of the militants were eliminated in North Waziristan during an operation carried out along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border. This action came shortly after an overnight clash on August 31 and September 1, during which troops had already killed 15 militants who were trying to sneak into Pakistani territory.
With this latest round of fighting, the ISPR noted that the total number of militants killed while attempting to cross into Pakistan has now reached 25.
North Waziristan Sees Additional Clashes
In a separate incident in the same district, security personnel spotted another group of militants moving near the border and engaged them immediately, killing seven more, the military statement said.
Elsewhere in the province, four additional militants lost their lives in two distinct confrontations, one in Kohat and another in Dera Ismail Khan, according to the ISPR.
ISPR Blames Afghan Taliban for Border Security Lapses
The military’s media wing stated that these repeated cross-border incidents highlight what Pakistan views as the Afghan Taliban administration’s continued failure to stop militant groups from using Afghan territory to plan and launch attacks. It added that Kabul’s authorities have also fallen short of managing the border effectively and meeting their international commitments on counterterrorism.
The ISPR emphasized that Pakistan’s armed forces remain fully dedicated to protecting the nation’s frontiers. It confirmed that clearance operations are ongoing in the region to eliminate militants believed to be receiving support from India.
The statement further reaffirmed that the broader counterterrorism campaign, being carried out by security forces alongside law enforcement agencies, will continue under the Azm-e-Istehkam framework, a strategy endorsed by the National Action Plan’s Central Apex Committee.
According to the ISPR, this campaign will proceed at full strength to root out terrorism that receives backing and support from foreign actors.