Security forces have eliminated 22 terrorists and injured 18 others in various intelligence-based operations (IBOs) conducted across the Tirah valley in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Khyber district since December 14, according to the military’s media wing on Thursday.
A statement issued by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) noted: “Recently, several terrorist incidents have occurred in the general area of Tirah, Khyber district, targeting security forces as well as innocent civilians, resulting in numerous casualties.”
In response, the ISPR stated that security forces have been carrying out extensive IBOs in the region, leading to the “successful neutralization” of 22 terrorists and injuries to 18 others since December 14.
The ISPR further emphasized that these operations would continue until peace in the area is fully restored and the threat posed by terrorists is eliminated. “The security forces of Pakistan remain committed to eradicating terrorism from the country,” the statement concluded.
Earlier, on Tuesday, a clash occurred in the general area of Tirah valley, where security forces reportedly “neutralised two terrorists.”
Armed groups, linked to various factions, are believed to have relocated from the plains of the Tirah valley and sought refuge in abandoned homes in the hilly terrain as security forces strengthened their positions in key areas of the valley.
Sources in the region reported that the situation in most parts of the valley remained calm, with no significant terrorist incidents reported in recent weeks.
They revealed that armed militants, previously active in different parts of the Tirah valley, had either returned to Afghanistan, moved to the bordering Orakzai district, or sought to “settle” in partially damaged homes in peripheral hilly areas to avoid detection.
The sources added that militants had relocated to Sanda Paal, Dray Naghari, and Daroota villages after these areas were vacated by residents in November, anticipating a military operation following an increase in attacks on military convoys and security checkpoints.
Residents of areas including Kamarkhel, Takhtaki, Ghulam Ali, and Sukh shared their concerns about militants forcefully entering their homes and demanding food and other essentials.
They expressed that while the militants did not cause them physical harm, they lived in constant fear of targeted operations by security forces for providing shelter to the armed groups, particularly since these groups were heavily armed.
Local sources also observed that the militants remained on the move to evade targeted actions by security forces.
In terms of their affiliations, the sources identified the militants as being associated with banned organizations, including Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), Lashkar-i-Islam, Amarat-i-Islami, and the Hafiz Gul Bahadur group, which were active in parts of the valley.
While the precise number of militants who moved to hilly areas to avoid full-scale military operations is uncertain, estimates suggest 70-100 individuals remained, with the others fleeing the valley temporarily.
Recently, Pakistan has experienced a rise in terrorist activities, particularly in KP and Balochistan.
Terrorist attacks have escalated since the TTP ended a fragile ceasefire agreement with the government in 2022.
According to a 2024 report by the Center for Research and Security Studies think tank, 2024 was the deadliest year in a decade for Pakistan’s security forces, with 685 personnel losing their lives in a total of 444 terrorist attacks.
The ISPR director general stated that last year, security forces conducted 59,775 operations, resulting in the killing of 925 terrorists, while 383 officers and soldiers were martyred.
