Pakistan security forces kill 54 militants trying to cross from Afghanistan

Pakistani security forces killed 54 militants who tried to infiltrate from Afghanistan, the military said Sunday, calling it the deadliest engagement in its ongoing fight against terrorism.

The attempted infiltration took place on the nights of April 25-26 and April 26-27 in the Hassan Khel area of North Waziristan District, near the border with Afghanistan.

The military’s media wing, Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), said a large group of militants was detected attempting to cross into Pakistan. Security forces engaged the group with “precise and skillful” fire, killing all 54 fighters.

“All 54 Khawarij have been sent to hell,” the statement said, using a historical Islamic term for rebels that the Pakistani military uses for militants of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).

A large cache of weapons, ammunition, and explosives was also recovered from the bodies, the military said.

According to intelligence reports, the group was infiltrating "on behalf of their foreign masters" to carry out high-profile terrorist attacks inside Pakistan.

The ISPR said the timing of the infiltration attempt was significant, coming as India accused Pakistan of supporting an attack against tourists in Indian-administered Kashmir earlier this week.

“Such actions by Fitna al Khwarij (FAK), at a time when India is leveling baseless accusations against Pakistan, clearly imply on whose cues FAK is operating,” the statement said.

The military accused the militants of committing treason and betrayal against the state and its citizens.

It added that India’s alleged strategy appeared to be aimed at distracting Pakistan's security forces from their counterterrorism operations, giving breathing space to the militants.

“The recent NSC (National Security Committee) also underscored the fact that distracting Pakistan’s security forces from their focus on the war against terror seems to be the strategic intent of India, to allow a breathing space to FAK which is reeling from the onslaught of our Armed Forces’ resolute offensive against them,” the military said.

Security forces demonstrated "exceptional professionalism, vigilance, and preparedness" during the operation, the statement said, preventing a “potential catastrophe.”

The military described the operation as a major victory, noting that it was the highest number of militants killed by Pakistani forces in a single engagement during the entire counterterrorism campaign.

It said Pakistan’s forces remain "resolute and unwavering" in their commitment to defend the country’s frontiers and eradicate terrorism.

Pakistan’s Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi also held a press conference to share details of the engagement and praised the security forces for their action.

President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, and Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi praised the security forces for thwarting the infiltration attempt in Hassan Khel.

They paid tribute to the forces for killing all 54 militants linked to the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), referred to by the military as "Khawarij."

In a joint message, President Zardari and Prime Minister Sharif said the security forces demonstrated outstanding professionalism by stopping the terrorists in time.

“The entire nation stands united with the security forces in the war against terrorism,” they said.

Prime Minister Sharif added that Pakistan’s forces remain "steadfast in their commitment to defend the nation’s borders and to eliminate the scourge of terrorism."

He said the successful operation shows that Pakistan is winning the war against terrorism and achieving significant victories against militant groups.

The cross-border infiltration and deadly clash come amid heightened tensions between Pakistan and India.

Relations between the nuclear-armed neighbors have deteriorated sharply since the April 22 attack in Indian-administered Kashmir, which targeted tourists. It was the deadliest assault on civilians in the disputed region in years.

New Delhi has accused Islamabad of supporting the attack, a charge Pakistan strongly denies.

Since then, the two countries have exchanged gunfire across the border, expelled diplomats, traded accusations, and shut parts of their frontier.

Pakistan has said it remains determined to defeat terrorism and has accused India of trying to destabilize the region through its allegations.