The Pakistani military foiled an infiltration attempt by the banned Fitna al-Khawarij terrorist group in the Shaluzan sector of Kurram district on Thursday, Radio Pakistan reported, citing security sources.
Security sources stated that Afghan Taliban forces opened "unprovoked fire" after Pakistani security forces moved to stop the group from crossing the border. In response, Pakistani security forces utilized heavy weapons to deliver an "effective response," which resulted in "heavy damage" to Afghan Taliban posts.
This incident follows a series of escalating border conflicts. On November 1, security forces responded to "unprovoked firing" from Afghan border posts near Angoor Adda in South Waziristan, which forced Afghan Taliban personnel to leave their positions. On October 30, the Pakistan Army successfully targeted and destroyed several posts and military positions of the Afghan Taliban in the areas adjacent to South Waziristan and Parachinar. Previously, on October 27, Afghan Taliban forces fired on civilian areas and border posts in Angoor Adda, Lower South Waziristan. Military officials stated that mortar shelling during that incident struck a residential area, killing one civilian and injuring five others from the same family, leading Pakistan to destroy Afghan Taliban checkpoints.
The current friction is part of a conflict that began in October 2025. Islamabad has accused the Afghan Taliban of harboring militants who attack Pakistan, a claim Kabul denies, labeling the militancy a domestic problem for Pakistan.
Following renewed clashes and Afghan Taliban fire on multiple locations, Pakistan launched Operation Ghazab Lil Haq around the end of February. These clashes intensified after Afghanistan launched a border offensive following Pakistani air strikes on terrorist positions. A week-long ceasefire was agreed upon on March 18, the eve of Eidul Fitr, following requests from Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Turkiye.
In April, Pakistan presented three core demands to the Afghan Taliban during peace talks in Urumqi, China: that Kabul formally declare the TTP a terrorist organization, dismantle its infrastructure, and provide verifiable proof of these actions. Sources indicate Pakistan's negotiating position on these demands has hardened due to ongoing security concerns.
