Pakistan army kills 17 in fresh militant crackdown

Pakistan security forces killed 17 terrorists in an operation in the northwestern province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s (KP) Lakki Marwat district between the night of Sept. 26 and 27, according to a statement released on Saturday.

Pakistan Army’s media wing – the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) - said they engaged a militant hideout, killing 17 ‘Indian sponsored’ men said to be involved in attacks against security personnel, law enforcement agencies, and civilians.

“Weapons and ammunition were also recovered during the operation,” the statement added.

Militants tied to the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) are often labeled by the state as Fitna al-Khawarij. In recent months, Islamabad has also used the term Fitna al-Hindustan for separatist groups in Balochistan, framing it as evidence of India’s role in stoking violence and instability inside Pakistan.

The latest operation comes three days after the security forces said they killed 13 militants belonging to ‘Indian proxy – Fitna al Khawarij'.

The operation targeted the Daraban area of Dera Ismail Khan district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, following intelligence reports of militants linked to India, identified by officials as the group Fitna al Khwarij.

Earlier, on Sept 13, Pakistan’s military said that 45 militants and 19 soldiers were killed in multiple operations in KP province, near the Afghan border, between September 10 and 13.

In Bajaur district, troops carried out an intelligence-based raid, engaging the militants in heavy gunfire that left 22 fighters dead. The army said those killed were linked to India and involved in repeated attacks across the province.

On September 11, 2025, security forces conducted an intelligence-based operation in the general area of Lal Qilla Maidan, Lower Dir District, targeting terrorists reportedly affiliated with Indian proxies. The operation resulted in the deaths of 10 militants and 7 soldiers.

In a separate clash in South Waziristan, the military reported 13 more militants were killed. The fighting also claimed the lives of 12 Pakistani soldiers, described by the ISPR as having “fought gallantly” before embracing martyrdom.

The army further said intelligence assessments confirm the involvement of Afghan nationals in these activities, adding that the use of Afghan territory by TTP-linked militants remains a “grave concern.” It urged the interim Afghan government to prevent its soil from being used for attacks against Pakistan.

In a similar statement released on Sept 11., Pakistan’s military said that its forces killed 19 militants in a series of operations in the country’s northwest.