Particle.news

Download on the App Store

11 Pakistani Soldiers, Including Two Officers, Killed in Orakzai Raid Near Afghan Border

Authorities blame the Pakistani Taliban, pledging continued clearance operations.

Overview

  • The pre-dawn intelligence-based operation in Orakzai, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, left 11 troops dead and, according to the army, 19 militants killed.
  • ISPR identified Lt. Col. Junaid Arif and Maj. Tayyab Rahat among the fallen, releasing the names of nine other soldiers.
  • The Pakistani Taliban claimed responsibility for attacking troops, and security officials told Reuters the assault involved a roadside bomb followed by gunfire.
  • Pakistan’s leadership praised the troops and alleged the attackers benefit from Afghan sanctuaries and Indian support, claims denied by those governments.
  • The military said sanitisation efforts are ongoing in the area, as violence linked to the TTP has risen across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan since the 2022 ceasefire collapse.