Pakistani security forces killed five Tehreek‑e‑Taliban Pakistan militants in South Waziristan district on Saturday, according to a spokesperson from the Frontier Corps. A cache of 200 rifles, 50 mortars and 3,000 rounds of ammunition was seized during the raid, the official said.
The strike came after a string of attacks in the province, including a suicide bombing that killed 14 police officers in Dera Ismail Khan and a car bomb that claimed 21 lives in Kohat. Those incidents, all linked to the TTP, followed the collapse of the 2022 ceasefire agreement.
The operation is part of the Azm‑e‑Istehkam initiative, a series of coordinated strikes aimed at dismantling militant hideouts along the Afghanistan‑Pakistan frontier. Commanders say the plan will target at least ten high‑value sites in the next 48 hours.
Residents of the village of Khar, just 5 km from the operation site, say the constant threat has turned their daily life into a warzone. One villager, who asked to remain anonymous, described the fear that “every night the sound of gunfire is a reminder that we are still in danger”.
Military officials announced that a joint task force will conduct a sweep of North Waziristan next Monday, with the aim of neutralizing any remaining TTP operatives in the region. The government has also pledged to increase civilian security patrols to protect local communities.