Three Pakistani soldiers and five militants were killed in a clash near the Pakistan-Afghanistan border in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Bajaur district, the military’s media wing reported on Monday.
According to a press release from the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the encounter occurred during the night of August 18-19, when security forces detected a group of militants attempting to infiltrate Pakistan from Afghanistan. The militants, referred to as “khwarij” (outcasts) by the military, were intercepted by Pakistani troops.
“Own troops effectively engaged and thwarted their attempt to infiltrate. Resultantly, five khwarij of Fitna al Khwarij were sent to hell, while four khwarij got injured,” the ISPR statement said. Earlier this month, the government labeled the outlawed Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) as “Fitna al Khawarij.”
The fallen soldiers were identified as 36-year-old Naik Inayat Khan, from Khyber district; 35-year-old Lance Naik Umer Hayat, from Mansehra district; and 25-year-old Sepoy Waqar Khan, from Peshawar district. The ISPR praised their bravery, noting they “fought gallantly” and “embraced martyrdom” during the exchange of fire.
The ISPR reiterated Pakistan’s calls for the Afghan interim government to enhance border management on their side to prevent such infiltrations. “The Interim Afghan Government is expected to fulfill its obligations and deny the use of Afghan soil by khwarij for perpetuating acts of terrorism against Pakistan,” the statement added. It also emphasized that the sacrifices of Pakistani soldiers only “further strengthen our resolve” to secure the borders.
Former President Asif Ali Zardari expressed sorrow over the loss of lives and paid tribute to the soldiers.
The Taliban has denied the presence of the TTP in Afghanistan, though a recent report by a United Nations monitoring team suggests that the group has nearly 6,000 fighters in the country.
