11 Pakistani soldiers killed by Islamist militants in ambush

The Pakistani army was conducting an operation against the TTP near the Afghan border. During the encounter, 19 TTP fighters were also killed.

Ishlamabad: Eleven Pakistani soldiers were killed in an attack by the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) on Tuesday night. This included two officers and nine soldiers.

According to news agency Reuters, the Pakistani army was conducting an operation against the TTP near the Afghan border. During the encounter, 19 TTP fighters were also killed.

The Pakistani army's media wing, Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), alleged that the attackers were receiving support from India. The army claimed it was working to eliminate them. In the past few months, the TTP has intensified attacks on security forces in Pakistan.

Attackers bombed and opened fire on Pakistani troops.

According to reports, Pakistani soldiers were carrying out an operation against the TTP in Kurram district. The attackers bombed their vehicle and then opened fire.

In a statement sent to Reuters, the Pakistani Taliban (TTP) claimed responsibility for the attack, saying its fighters targeted the convoy.

The Pakistani Army said in a statement that it received information about the presence of terrorists affiliated with the Indian proxy organization Fitna al-Khawarij in Kurram, following which the operation was launched.

The Pakistani Army calls the TTP Fitna al-Khawarij, an Arabic term. Fitna means "troublemakers," and al-Khawarij means "those who follow the path of extremism."

The TTP poses the biggest threat to Pakistan

Since the Taliban came to power in Afghanistan in 2021, the TTP has waged a guerrilla war against Pakistani security forces. The TTP is considered the biggest terrorist threat to Pakistan in the past twelve years. Pakistan alleges that TTP fighters receive training across the border in Afghanistan, return to Pakistan, and carry out attacks.

However, the Taliban claims it does not support the TTP. According to the Pakistan Institute for Peace Studies, terrorist attacks in the country have reached their highest level since 2015, and the TTP is the main culprit. These attacks have pushed Pakistan to second place on the Global Terrorism Index as a country affected by terrorism.

The TTP was formed in response to the US invasion.

When the US invaded Afghanistan in 2001, many fighters hid in Pakistan's tribal areas. Pakistan supported the invasion. Angered by this, Baitullah Mehsud formed the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) in 2007 by uniting 13 insurgent groups.

The TTP imposed Sharia law in the tribal areas and attacked Pakistani security forces and foreign troops in Afghanistan. The TTP also targeted universities, religious leaders, and civilian targets, and even carried out attacks in major Pakistani cities.

Despite Pakistani military and US drone strikes, the Pakistani Taliban (TTP) has not been completely eliminated. In 2018, Pakistan declared victory over the TTP, but this was later proven false.

Pakistan Ranks Second in Global Terrorism Index

According to the Global Terrorism Index 2025, Pakistan has become the second most terror-affected country in the world, after Burkina Faso, up from fourth in 2024.

TTP attacks have increased by 90%.
Baloch Army (BLA) attacks have increased by 60%.
The Islamic State-Khorasan (IS-K) has now begun targeting Pakistani cities.
According to the report, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan are the most terror-affected areas in Pakistan. 90% of all terrorist incidents across the country occurred in these areas. The report ranked Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan as Pakistan's most dangerous terrorist organization for the second consecutive year. In 2024, the group carried out 482 attacks, resulting in 558 deaths, a 91% increase compared to 2023.