Pakistan Says 23 TTP Militants Killed in Kurram Military Operation
The Pakistani military says 23 members of the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) were killed during military operations in the Kurram district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.
According to an official army statement, the clash began on Wednesday, November 18, when reports emerged of the presence of individuals referred to as ‘Khawarij’—a term often used by the military for militant extremists. Security forces then launched a targeted operation, during which 12 TTP fighters were killed.
The military also claimed that in a separate operation, another 11 individuals associated with the group were killed. According to military sources, the clearance operations in the region are ongoing.
The operation is part of a broader campaign known as ‘Azm-e-Istehkam’ (Resolve for Stability), which aims to counter threats from armed groups and eliminate what the authorities describe as ‘foreign-sponsored terrorism.’ This initiative is being led by Pakistan’s security and enforcement agencies.
Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan is a hardline militant group that has carried out numerous attacks on civilian and military targets within Pakistan in recent years. While the Pakistani government sees the group as a serious internal security threat, some regional analysts have pointed to possible links and interactions between the TTP and Afghanistan’s Taliban-led administration. This has raised growing concerns about security in eastern Afghanistan and the border regions.
Meanwhile, the Taliban administration’s ambiguous and at times tolerant approach to cross-border armed groups has prompted serious questions about its commitment to combating regional terrorism—especially as Pakistan has repeatedly claimed that TTP members are using Afghan territory as a safe haven.
