In a dramatic overnight operation, Pakistani troops stormed a militant hideout near the Afghan border, killing 14 insurgents in a fierce gun battle, a significant blow to militant networks operating in the restive region.
The raid, carried out in North Waziristan, part of the turbulent Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, targeted members of the Pakistani Taliban, or Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). According to a military statement released Wednesday, the militants were believed to be linked to what Pakistan describes as an “Indian proxy”, a claim that, while not new, adds fuel to simmering tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbours.
India has yet to comment on the allegations.
Security forces launched the assault based on intelligence reports pointing to the presence of TTP fighters in the area. The ensuing firefight left all 14 insurgents dead, with Pakistani forces conducting follow-up “sanitisation operations” to root out any remaining threats.
A Shadow War Heating Up
Pakistan has long accused India of backing outlawed groups like the Baloch Liberation Army and elements of the TTP, which it says are behind a string of attacks within its borders. These allegations have taken on renewed urgency since May, when tensions between Islamabad and New Delhi spiked once again, this time over Kashmir, the disputed Himalayan territory both countries claim in full.
The Pakistani military’s reference to Indian involvement underscores a deepening shadow war, playing out not just in Kashmir but across the tribal belt that straddles the Afghan frontier.
The TTP: Emboldened and Entrenched
The Pakistani Taliban have become increasingly emboldened since their ideological allies, the Afghan Taliban, swept back into power in 2021. With sanctuary now widely available across the border in Afghanistan, many TTP fighters and commanders have regrouped, rearmed, and launched fresh waves of violence inside Pakistan.
For Islamabad, this latest operation sends a clear message: it’s not backing down.
