Pakistani forces say 30 militants killed in multiple operations in province bordering Afghanistan

• Operations were conducted in Mohmand, Lakki Marwat, Tank and Kurram districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
• Pakistani Taliban have stepped up attacks against security forces, law enforcement agencies in recent months

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s security forces killed 30 militants in multiple operations in the restive northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province bordering Afghanistan, the military said on Thursday, amid a rise in attacks across the country.

The intelligence-based operations from Nov. 18-19 targeted Pakistani Taliban militants or Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) in the Mohmand, Lakki Marwat, Tank and Kurram districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Pakistan has repeatedly accused the TTP of using Afghan territory to plan and launch cross-border attacks, a charge Kabul denies. The surge in violence has strained relations between the two neighbors, with Islamabad urging Kabul to prevent militant sanctuaries on its soil.

“On 18-19 November 2025, seven khwarij belonging to Indian Proxy Fitna Al Khwarij were killed in three separate engagements in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province,” the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said in a statement, referring to “khwarij” as an ideological term the Pakistani military uses for militant groups involved in extremist violence, and “Indian Proxy Fitna” as the label it applies to fighters it accuses India of supporting, an allegation New Delhi denies.

“On 19 November 2025, 23 khwarij belonging to Indian Proxy Fitna Al Khwarij were killed in two separate engagements in Kurram District, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province,” te military added.

According to the ISPR, Pakistani forces killed 12 TTP militants in an intense exchange of fire in Kurram district. Eleven more were killed in the same area following intelligence on the presence of another militant group.

In other separate operations, four militants were killed in Mohmand district, two in Lakki Marwat and one in Tank. The ISPR said sanitization operations were ongoing to eliminate any remaining militants in the area.

Pakistan launched a renewed counterterrorism campaign earlier this year under the Azm-e-Istehkam initiative, aimed at intensifying intelligence-led operations by the military and law enforcement agencies.

Officials say the increase in operations comes amid a sharp rise in militant attacks since 2021, particularly in areas bordering Afghanistan, where the Afghan Taliban assumed power following the withdrawal of US and allied forces.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has seen a surge in militancy since a fragile truce between the TTP and Islamabad collapsed in November 2022. The TTP and other militant groups have frequently targeted security convoys, checkpoints, law enforcement personnel and government officials in recent months.

The military has also alleged links between the militants and India, claiming they are part of “Indian-sponsored” networks operating in the region, claims New Delhi denies.

OnWednesday, the military said it killed four militants in operations across KP’s Bajaur, North Waziristan and Dera Ismail Khan districts.