Pakistan’s security forces have killed 15 militants who allegedly tried to enter the country from Afghanistan, the military’s media wing, Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), said on Thursday.
According to ISPR, the group attempted to cross into North Waziristan during the night between August 31 and September 1. Security forces detected the movement and engaged the militants in a battle that lasted 36 hours. The military said the militants belonged to Fitna al-Khawarij, the term Pakistan uses for the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), and accused them of being sponsored by India. India and Afghanistan have repeatedly denied such allegations.
The military said weapons and ammunition were recovered during a follow-up search operation. It added that the clearance operation was still under way to find any other militants in the area.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, President Asif Ali Zardari and Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi praised the security forces. They said Pakistan’s campaign against terrorism would continue until the threat was eliminated.
ISPR also blamed the Afghan Taliban authorities for failing to prevent militant groups from using Afghan territory for attacks against Pakistan. Islamabad has said that better relations with Kabul will depend on “concrete and verifiable” action against the TTP and other armed groups.
But in North Waziristan and other former tribal districts, the military’s repeated declarations of victory have left many residents unconvinced. Despite dozens of military operations in these areas, security forces have often announced that terrorism has been uprooted and the militants defeated. Yet, after a few months, attacks and armed groups have appeared again.
Some inhabitants make an even more serious allegation: they claim that the army itself brings militants into the region. This accusation directly conflicts with the military’s account, but it reflects the deep mistrust among communities that have endured displacement, violence and years of military campaigns.
For many residents, the latest operation is therefore not only a security report. It is another chapter in a painful cycle—an announcement of victory followed, sooner or later, by the return of fear.
