ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s security forces foiled a major infiltration attempt along the border with Afghanistan, killing 14 militants in the Bajaur district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, as authorities highlighted what they described as a sustained cross-border militant threat.
Security officails said the operation took place in Bajaur, where troops intercepted militants before they could enter Pakistani territory. Officials identified those killed as members of “Fitnah al Khawarij”, a term used by the government for the Pakistani Taliban based in Afghanistan.
Pakistani officails said, Khawarij militants are believed to live openly in Afghanistan with their families, where they recruit youth and plan attacks primarily targeting Pakistan, with cross-border operations aimed at undermining internal security.
Pakistani authorities said the incident underscored the continued use of Afghan territory as an operational base for planning, coordinating, and directing attacks against Pakistan, describing the threat as organised rather than isolated.
According to officials, militant groups rely on Afghan soil for manpower, logistics, and freedom of movement, benefiting from what Islamabad views as a permissive environment across the border. Pakistan has repeatedly called on Afghanistan’s interim authorities to dismantle such networks.
Officials also referred to United Nations assessments documenting the presence of multiple armed groups in Afghanistan, warning that their continued activity poses risks beyond Pakistan, with implications for regional and international security.
Weapons and military equipment left behind following the withdrawal of United States forces from Afghanistan are also being accessed and used in cross-border attacks, authorities said, increasing the scale and intensity of the threat to Pakistani civilians and security personnel.
Pakistan said its forces remain on high alert along the frontier, conducting daily intelligence-based operations. The Bajaur operation, officials added, reflected a policy of zero tolerance toward attempts to breach the country’s borders or undermine its internal security.
