PESHAWAR: As tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan continue to mount, security forces claimed to have killed dozens of militants attempting to infiltrate the country from across the border in Mohmand district, according to state media and official sources.
The operation, launched on the basis of credible intelligence, targeted a group of heavily armed militants reportedly mobilizing near the mountainous Khor area of Bahadar Kalay, close to the Afghan border.
Officials said the intelligence reports indicated that the infiltrators were planning to cross into Pakistani territory to launch coordinated attacks on security installations and border posts.
“Security forces swiftly cordoned off the area and launched an intensive operation,” sources confirmed, adding that the ensuing exchange of fire continued for several hours in the rugged terrain.
State media reported that at least 30 militants were killed in the operation, though local sources claimed the number of casualties could be higher given the scale of the confrontation.
The infiltration attempt comes amid heightened cross-border tensions, with Pakistan repeatedly accusing Afghan-based militant groups of staging attacks on its territory.
While there has been no official statement from the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) until the filing of this report, PTV News claimed the thwarted attack reflects growing frustration within the Afghan establishment.
The broadcaster alleged that elements within the Afghan government are increasingly relying on militant proxies to target Pakistan in retaliation for the country’s recent counterterrorism measures and border fortifications.
Security officials said that Pakistan’s forces remain on high alert along the western frontier, particularly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s border districts, to prevent further infiltration attempts.
The operation in Mohmand, they added, underscores Islamabad’s resolve to neutralize any cross-border threat and safeguard its territorial integrity amid a volatile regional security climate.
