Pakistani Taliban slays 16 Pakistan Army soldiers in deadly raid near Afghan border

The Pakistani Taliban, also known as Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), has claimed responsibility for a deadly overnight attack on an army outpost near the Afghan border. The raid, which occurred in the Makeen area of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, left 16 soldiers dead and five critically wounded, according to Pakistani intelligence officials.

The attack began after midnight on Saturday and lasted approximately two hours. Around 30 militants attacked the remote mountainous outpost from three directions, a senior intelligence official told AFP on condition of anonymity.

"Sixteen soldiers were martyred, and five were critically injured," the official said. "The militants set fire to the wireless communication equipment, documents, and other items at the checkpoint."

The TTP claimed the raid was "in retaliation for the martyrdom of our senior commanders" and alleged that they had seized military equipment, including machine guns and night vision devices.

Military silent amid rising violence

The Pakistani military has not yet issued a statement on the incident. However, a second intelligence official confirmed the death toll and injuries. The Makeen area, located about 40 kilometers (24 miles) from the Afghan border, has seen frequent clashes as Pakistan battles a resurgence of militant activity in its western border regions.

This attack is being described as "the most dangerous assault in the region this year" by one intelligence source.

Escalating militant violence

Militant violence in Pakistan's border regions has surged since the Afghan Taliban regained power in 2021. Last year marked a six-year high in casualties, with over 1,500 civilians, security forces, and militants killed, according to the Islamabad-based Center for Research and Security Studies.

Islamabad has repeatedly accused the Afghan Taliban of failing to prevent cross-border attacks by militants, including the TTP. A UN Security Council report in July estimated that up to 6,500 TTP fighters operate in Afghanistan, with the Afghan Taliban allegedly tolerating and even supporting their activities, such as supplying weapons and allowing training.

Tense Pakistan-Afghanistan ties

The spike in attacks has strained relations between Islamabad and Kabul. Pakistan has accused Afghanistan's rulers of failing to address the presence of militant groups operating from their territory. In response, Islamabad launched a campaign last year to expel hundreds of thousands of undocumented Afghan migrants, citing security concerns as a primary reason.

Despite pledges from Kabul's rulers to evict foreign militant groups, evidence suggests that the Afghan Taliban do not view the TTP as a terrorist organization, further complicating efforts to curb cross-border violence.

AFP