Eleven Pakistani soldiers, including two senior officers, were killed during an intelligence-based operation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Orakzai district, the military said Wednesday.
According to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the overnight operation targeted militants linked to the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). Nineteen terrorists were killed in the firefight after troops engaged their positions.
Among the fallen were Lieutenant Colonel Junaid Tariq, 39, who led the mission, and his deputy, Major Tayyab Rahat, 33. Nine other soldiers also lost their lives: Naib Subedar Azam Gul, Naik Adil Hussain, Naik Gul Ameer, Lance Naik Sher Khan, Lance Naik Talish Faraz, Lance Naik Irshad Hussain, Sepoy Tufail Khan, Sepoy Aqib Ali, and Sepoy Muhammad Zahid.
The ISPR said clearing operations were continuing in the area to eliminate remaining militants, vowing that Pakistan’s security forces “are determined to wipe out the menace of terrorism from the country.”
Funeral prayers for the two officers were held in Rawalpindi’s Chaklala garrison, attended by Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, cabinet members, and senior officials. The prime minister praised the soldiers’ sacrifice, declaring that “the nation stands resolute against terrorism and will defend the motherland at all costs.” He said the government remained committed to eradicating militancy.
President Asif Ali Zardari also paid tribute, hailing the soldiers as “heroes of the nation” and offering condolences to bereaved families. PPP chair Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari and National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq echoed the tributes, reaffirming support for the armed forces.
International condolences came from Iranian Ambassador Reza Amiri Moghadam, who expressed “deep sorrow” and extended sympathy to the families of the slain soldiers.
The operation underscores Pakistan’s mounting struggle against resurgent militancy. Terrorist attacks have surged in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan since the TTP broke a ceasefire with the government in 2022. Security think tanks reported last week that violence in the first three quarters of 2025 nearly matched the total for all of 2024.
Despite the losses, officials stressed that the sacrifices of Pakistan’s soldiers would not be in vain, portraying the Orakzai operation as both a costly blow and a symbol of national resolve.
