In the early hours of October 8, 2025, the usually quiet hills of Orakzai district in Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province erupted into chaos. Pakistani security forces, acting on intelligence, launched a decisive raid against a suspected hideout of the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), sparking a fierce gunbattle that left 11 soldiers—including two senior officers—and 19 militants dead. The incident, confirmed by multiple military statements and reported by outlets such as the Associated Press and Reuters, underscores a troubling surge in militant violence along Pakistan’s volatile border with Afghanistan.
The operation, which began late on October 7 and stretched into the small hours, targeted militants described by the government as “Khwarij” or “Fitna al-Khawarij”—terms used for groups Islamabad claims are backed by India, including the TTP and the Baloch Liberation Army. According to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the media wing of the Pakistani military, the firefight claimed the lives of Lieutenant Colonel Junaid Arif (39) and Major Tayyab Rahat (33), both of whom, the statement said, “fought gallantly and embraced martyrdom” alongside nine other soldiers. The military also reported that 19 militants were “sent to hell” during the exchange, a phrase that echoed across official statements and news reports.
The details of the clash paint a grim picture. Reuters, citing security officials, reported that the militants ambushed a military convoy with a roadside bomb before opening fire, escalating the confrontation into a deadly standoff. The TTP, which quickly claimed responsibility for the attack, has been emboldened in recent years, particularly following the Taliban’s return to power in Afghanistan in 2021. Many TTP leaders and fighters are believed to operate from sanctuaries just across the Afghan border, a point of persistent tension between Islamabad and Kabul.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif was quick to praise the security forces, stating, “The sacrifices of the fearless sons of the security forces will never go in vain. We will not allow elements that harm Pakistan’s integrity to succeed.” President Asif Ali Zardari echoed these sentiments, paying tribute to the “courageous action of security forces” and expressing “heartfelt sympathy with the families of the soldiers, praying that they bear their loss with patience and courage.” Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Chief Minister, Ali Amin Gandapur, added, “The security forces have written an immortal chapter of bravery and sacrifice in the fight for peace. The sacrifices of our soldiers will not go in vain.”
This latest encounter is just one in a series of deadly incidents that have rocked Pakistan’s northwest and southwest regions, both of which share porous borders with Afghanistan. Just a month earlier, 12 soldiers lost their lives in a similar attack in South Waziristan, another restive district. The Centre for Research and Security Studies (CRSS) reports that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa accounted for nearly 71% of all violence-related fatalities and over 67% of reported incidents in Pakistan during the third quarter of 2025. When combined with Balochistan, these provinces experienced over 96% of nationwide militant activity—a sobering statistic that highlights the scale of the security challenge facing Pakistan.
The surge in violence can be traced back to November 2022, when the TTP ended its ceasefire with the government and vowed to target security forces, police, and law enforcement agencies. Since then, attacks have become more frequent and more deadly, with militants displaying increasing sophistication and boldness. According to the ISPR, a sanitisation operation is still underway in Orakzai to eliminate any remaining threats, a routine but necessary measure in the wake of such large-scale clashes.
Pakistan’s government has persistently alleged that both India and Afghanistan are complicit in supporting these militant groups—a claim denied by both New Delhi and Kabul. Islamabad says the TTP and similar outfits use Afghan territory to train and plan attacks, while India allegedly funds and backs them. These accusations have fueled already tense relations in the region, with each side trading barbs and warnings. In a recent interview with Samaa TV, Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif warned, “Chances of war with India are real,” adding, “If it comes to war, God willing, we will achieve a better result than before.” Asif claimed that Pakistan now enjoys greater international support than it did six months ago, though he refrained from naming specific countries.
Meanwhile, Pakistani officials continue to press the Taliban government in Afghanistan to do more to prevent cross-border attacks. At the Moscow Format Consultations on Afghanistan held just a day before the Orakzai operation, Pakistani representative Mohammad Sadiq emphasized the “urgent need for collective regional efforts to effectively counter terrorism and dismantle all terrorist groups operating from Afghan soil.” A joint statement from the meeting called on the Taliban to take “effective action against militant groups and prevent the use of Afghan territory for terrorism.” The Taliban, for their part, deny that any armed groups operate from their soil—a claim disputed by United Nations reports and regional intelligence assessments.
The broader context is no less sobering. Last year was Pakistan’s deadliest in nearly a decade, with more than 1,600 people killed—nearly half of them soldiers and police—according to the Islamabad-based CRSS. The relentless wave of violence has put immense pressure on Pakistan’s security apparatus and deepened public anxiety, particularly in the border provinces. The TTP, which seeks to overthrow the government and impose its own hardline interpretation of Islamic law, has shown no sign of relenting.
Against this backdrop, the bravery and sacrifices of Pakistani security forces are being held up as a rallying point for national unity. “The entire nation stands as a lead wall with its armed forces,” President Zardari said in his statement. Chief Minister Gandapur affirmed, “These sacrifices further strengthen the nation’s resolve to eradicate terrorism.”
Yet, despite official vows and ongoing military operations, the challenges remain daunting. The porous border with Afghanistan, the persistence of militant sanctuaries, and the specter of regional rivalries all ensure that peace in Pakistan’s northwest will remain elusive for the foreseeable future. For the families of those killed in Orakzai—and for a nation weary of conflict—the hope is that these sacrifices will not be in vain, and that a more secure future is still possible, if not yet assured.