Six soldiers martyred, 10 militants killed in KP operations

Six Pakistani soldiers were martyred in an improvised explosive device attack on a security forces convoy as troops carried out a series of counterterrorism engagements in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa between September 15 and 17, the military said. Ten militants were also killed during separate operations in North Waziristan and Hangu districts.

According to the Inter-Services Public Relations, security forces launched an intelligence-based operation in North Waziristan after receiving information about the presence of militants in the area. Troops engaged the suspected hideout, leading to an exchange of fire in which six militants were killed. The military described those targeted as members of Fitna Al-Khawarij, the state-designated term used for the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan.

A separate security engagement took place in Hangu district, where four additional militants were killed. The two operations brought the reported militant death toll to 10 during the three-day period. Weapons and ammunition were recovered from the militants, who the military said had been involved in terrorist activity in the region.

The security forces also suffered significant losses. On September 17, an improvised explosive device struck a military convoy, killing six soldiers. The military paid tribute to the personnel and said their deaths strengthened the armed forces' commitment to continuing counterterrorism operations across the country.

ISPR said clearance and sanitisation operations were continuing in the affected areas to locate any additional militants. Such operations typically follow armed engagements as security personnel search nearby locations and routes for fighters, weapons, explosives or other potential threats.

The military said the operations formed part of the continuing counterterrorism campaign under the Azm-e-Istehkam framework approved by the Federal Apex Committee on the National Action Plan. Authorities have said the campaign is intended to coordinate security and law-enforcement efforts against militant networks and foreign-supported terrorism. Allegations of foreign sponsorship remain claims made by Pakistani authorities and should be understood in that context.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has remained one of Pakistan's main centres of militant violence in recent years. Conflict-monitoring data cited in recent reporting shows a sharp rise in attacks nationwide since 2022, increasing pressure on security forces and communities in districts close to the Afghan border. North Waziristan and other former tribal areas have repeatedly witnessed intelligence-based operations, militant attacks and explosive incidents.

The immediate next phase is expected to focus on completing clearance operations and assessing whether additional militant cells remain active in the affected districts. Security forces and law-enforcement agencies are also expected to continue operations under the national counterterrorism framework as authorities seek to reduce attacks in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and prevent further losses among security personnel and civilians.