Eleven Pakistani soldiers, including a Lieutenant Colonel and a major, were killed in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Orakzai district, the military’s media affairs wing said.
A statement by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said that security forces conducted an intelligence-based operation in Orakzai district on the reported presence of terrorists.
“During the conduct of operation, 19 Indian-sponsored khwarij were sent to hell due to effective engagement by own troops,” the ISPR said.
Pakistan’s PM Shahbaz Sharif paid tributes to the country’s soldiers and said: “The sacrifices of the fearless sons of security forces will never go in vain,” he said.
“We will crush the nefarious intentions of Indian-backed terrorists. We will not allow elements that harm Pakistan’s integrity to succeed,” he added. PM Shehbaz stated that the government was determined to eradicate the menace of terrorism from the country.
🚨🚨 11 Pakistan Soldiers Killed in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Orakzai district.
Pakistan's @OfficialDGISPR blamed #India and said: “During the conduct of operation, 19 Indian-sponsored khwarij were sent to hell due to effective engagement by own troops." pic.twitter.com/G7zEUbVnHh
— EurAsian Times (@THEEURASIATIMES) October 8, 2025
Over the past three months, Pakistan has experienced a sharp increase in violence due to heightened militant attacks and intensified counter-terrorism efforts, according to a report released Monday by the Islamabad-based Center for Research and Security Studies (CRSS).
The CRSS noted a 46 percent surge in deaths, encompassing civilians, security forces, and militants, compared to the prior quarter.
This year is poised to surpass 2024, which was already the deadliest year in a decade.
Pakistan’s military is engaged in operations against militant groups along its western border, with the Pakistani Taliban active in the northwest and Baloch separatist groups in the southwest responsible for most attacks.
The CRSS attributed the escalation to a “rise in militant violence and broader counter-terrorism operations.”
The increase in attacks follows the 2021 withdrawal of US-led forces from Afghanistan, with Pakistan’s government alleging that the Taliban authorities provide sanctuary to militants, a claim they reject.
The United Nations, however, has pointed to a “permissive environment” for militant groups in Afghanistan.
In September, anonymous government officials told AFP that the presence of Pakistani Taliban militants had grown recently. That month, opposition lawmakers claimed a military air raid targeting militant hideouts resulted in child casualties, though the army issued no statement.
Local village councils have repeatedly cautioned that large-scale counter-terrorism operations could put civilians at risk. According to CRSS, 2,414 fatalities were recorded in the first three quarters of 2025, approaching the 2,546 deaths reported throughout 2024.
By ET Desk with AFP Inputs
