Pakistan says 25 infiltrators killed near Afghan border

Pakistan’s security forces thwarted two infiltration attempts along the Afghan border and killed 25 militants in separate actions in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the military’s media wing said Sunday. The incidents occurred as Pakistani and Afghan delegations pursued peace talks in Turkiye following a Doha-brokered ceasefire.

According to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), troops tracked movements of two large groups opposite the Ghaki area of Kurram and the Spinwam area of North Waziristan on October 24–25. Fifteen militants, including four suicide bombers, were killed near Spinwam, while 10 more were eliminated near Ghaki. Weapons, ammunition and explosives were recovered from the dead.

ISPR said five soldiers were martyred in heavy exchanges of fire: Havildar Manzoor Hussain (35), Sepoy Nauman Ilyas Kiyani (23), Sepoy Muhammad Adil (24), Sepoy Shah Jehan (25) and Sepoy Ali Asghar (25). Authorities said a sanitisation operation is underway to clear the region of any remaining militants.

The statement argued the bids cast doubt on the Afghan interim government’s intent to curb cross-border terrorism and reiterated Pakistan’s demand that Kabul ensure effective border management and deny sanctuaries to anti-Pakistan elements, in line with its international commitments.

President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif praised the security forces, paid tribute to the fallen soldiers and renewed a pledge to eradicate terrorism under the Azm-e-Istehkam campaign.