2 officers among 11 Pakistani soldiers, 19 militants killed in gunbattle

Dubai: At least 11 Pakistani soldiers, including a lieutenant colonel and a major, and 19 militants were killed in an intense overnight gunbattle during an intelligence-based operation (IBO) in the northwestern Orakzai district near the Afghan border, the Pakistani military said on Wednesday.

According to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), security forces raided a suspected Pakistani Taliban (TTP) hideout in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province before dawn, triggering hours of fighting, APP reported. The military said the slain insurgents were members of “Fitna Al Khawarij”, a term used by the government for militant networks, including the TTP and Baloch Liberation Army (BLA).

The ISPR said the fallen soldiers included Lt. Col. Junaid Tariq, 39, who led the operation, and Major Tayyab Rahat, 33, his second-in-command.

Nine other soldiers were also martyred: Naib Subedar Azam Gul (38), Naik Adil Hussain (35), Naik Gul Ameer (34), Lance Naik Sher Khan (31), Lance Naik Talish Faraz (32), Lance Naik Irshad Hussain (32), Sepoy Tufail Khan (28), Sepoy Aqib Ali (23) and Sepoy Muhammad Zahid (24).

The military said troops “engaged the militants effectively, killing 19,” adding that a sanitisation operation was underway to clear any remaining militants.

“These sacrifices of our brave men further strengthen our resolve to wipe out terrorism from Pakistan,” the ISPR statement said.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif paid tribute to the security forces for eliminating 19 terrorists in Orakzai.

In a statement, he expressed deep sorrow over the martyrdom of Lt. Col. Junaid Tariq, Maj. Tayyab Rahat, and their comrades, praying for the departed souls and strength for their families.

“The sacrifices of the brave soldiers will never go in vain. Those attempting to harm Pakistan’s integrity will not succeed,” Sharif said, reaffirming the government’s commitment to eradicate terrorism from the country.

President Asif Ali Zardari also lauded the troops’ “courageous action,” describing the fallen as “heroes of the nation” and symbols of national unity.

PPP chairperson Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari expressed condolences to the bereaved families and reaffirmed his “unwavering support for the security forces.”

The Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) claimed responsibility for the attack in a brief statement.

The TTP, a separate group from but ideologically aligned with the Afghan Taliban, has escalated attacks in Pakistan since the Taliban’s takeover of Kabul in 2021.

Many of its leaders and fighters are believed to be operating from sanctuaries across the Afghan border — an allegation Kabul denies.

Pakistan has witnessed a renewed surge in militant violence, especially in the tribal regions bordering Afghanistan. Officials say the TTP’s growing cross-border influence has emboldened insurgents targeting security forces and state infrastructure.

Wednesday’s deadly Orakzai encounter — among the bloodiest this year — underscores Pakistan’s ongoing battle against militancy, even as the army intensifies counterterrorism operations in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan.