Forces foil Kurram infiltration bid, killing 12 attackers

A Pakistani soldier was martyred as security forces foiled an attempt by militants to cross from Afghanistan into Kurram district, killing 12 khawarij and Afghan Taliban personnel, the military’s media wing said on Sunday.

According to Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), troops detected a group of khawarij trying to approach the border from Afghanistan on October 10 and engaged them. “Afghan Taliban posts also opened fire to support the infiltration attempt by khawarij,” the ISPR said.

“Skilful and precise engagement by vigilant troops resulted in the killing of twelve khawarij and Afghan Taliban,” it added.

A soldier from Ghizer

Naib Subedar Hidayat Aman, 40, from Ghizer district in Gilgit-Baltistan, was martyred in the intense exchange of fire. The ISPR said he “fought gallantly, paid the ultimate sacrifice and embraced shahadat”.

A sanitisation operation is under way to clear any remaining “Indian-sponsored” khawarij in the area. The ISPR said the counterterrorism campaign under the Azm-e-Istehkam vision, approved by the Federal Apex Committee on the National Action Plan, would continue at full pace.

‘Afghan Taliban regime has failed’

The ISPR said the incident “once again vindicated” Pakistan’s stance that the Afghan Taliban regime has failed to stop terrorists using Afghan soil and instead facilitates and patronises cross-border terrorism. “The Afghan Taliban regime has consistently failed to honour its international counter-terrorism obligations,” it said.

President: ‘grave folly’

President Asif Ali Zardari paid tribute to the troops and to the martyred soldier, saying Naib Subedar Hidayat Aman had “sacrificed his life for the protection of the country’s borders”.

“The Afghan government’s patronage and support of terrorist elements poses a grave threat to regional peace and security,” the president said. If the Afghan Taliban regime “considers Pakistan’s patience, caution, and responsible approach as our weakness, then it is their grave folly,” he warned. “Pakistan can not only send these infiltrating terrorists to hell but also annihilate their patrons.”

Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi also paid tribute to the martyr and the security forces for “crushing the enemy’s nefarious designs to dust”.

Rising attacks

The operation comes two days after security forces killed seven Fitna al-Khawarij terrorists in an intelligence-based operation in North Waziristan, Geo News reported.

Pakistan has faced a sharp rise in cross-border terrorism, particularly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, since the Afghan Taliban returned to power in 2021. According to the Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies (PICSS), an Islamabad think tank, 225 militant attacks were recorded in September, up from 199 in August and the highest monthly total in 12 years.

Islamabad has repeatedly urged Kabul to stop militant groups using its territory, but despite several rounds of talks the two sides have not resolved the issue.

Why it matters

The clash came on the day the federal government imposed an emergency in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, citing the province’s security situation. Kurram is among the border districts where Pakistan says militants cross from Afghanistan with the support of Afghan Taliban posts.

This article draws on reporting by The Express Tribune, Geo News and ISPR.