Pakistani Taliban forces ambush Pak Army, kill 11 soldiers in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa; 19 terrorists neutralised in retaliation

The Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) launched a deadly ambush on a Pakistani Army convoy in the Kurram district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, killing 11 soldiers, including two officers. The attack occurred near the Afghan border on Wednesday, just 24 hours after the army had eliminated a senior TTP commander, Pir Agha Kandahari, in an earlier operation.

According to the army, the militants first detonated roadside bombs targeting the convoy before opening fire with automatic weapons. The soldiers were reportedly engaged in an intelligence-based operation when they came under attack. The Pakistani Army confirmed the deaths of Lieutenant Colonel Junaid Arif (39) and Major Tayyab Rahat (33) among those killed.

In a retaliatory action, security forces launched a counter-operation in the Orakzai district, a known militant stronghold, killing 19 terrorists. The military described the soldiers’ deaths as “the supreme sacrifice for the security of the country.”

The latest assault underscores the growing threat posed by the TTP in Pakistan’s tribal regions, as the group continues to target security forces despite intensified military operations.