A soldier was martyred and 12 terrorists killed in an exchange of fire in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Kurram district, the army’s media wing said on Sunday.

The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said that the movement of a group of khawarij attempting to cross the international border from Afghanistan into Pakistan was detected in Kurram district on Sunday, where security forces engaged them effectively.

Fitna al Khawarij is a term the state uses for terrorists belonging to the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan.

Security forces, “maintaining a high state of alertness and vigilance, effectively thwarted the infiltration attempt”, the statement added.

It further said that Afghan Taliban posts had also opened fire to support the infiltration attempt by the khawarij.

“The skilful and precise engagement by vigilant troops resulted in the killing of 12 khawarij and Afghan Taliban,” the statement said. During the exchange of fire, Naib Subedar Hidayat Aman was martyred after “fighting gallantly”.

This incident along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border vindicates Islamabad’s “objective and factual stance regarding the willful abject failure of the Afghan Taliban regime to deny the use of Afghan soil to the terrorist organisation”, the statement added.

“The security forces of Pakistan remain resolute and unwavering in their commitment to defend the nation’s frontiers,” said the ISPR, adding that sanitisation operation is being conducted in the area to eliminate any other Indian sponsored khawariji found in the area.”

“The relentless counter-terrorism campaign under vision Azm-i-Istehkam as approved by Federal Apex Committee on National Action Plan by security forces and law enforcement agencies of Pakistan will continue at full pace to wipe out the menace of foreign sponsored and supported terrorism from the country.”

“These sacrifices of our brave soldiers further reinforce our unwavering commitment to safeguarding our nation and its frontiers at all costs,” it said.

In a statement on X, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi paid tribute to the security forces for “foiling the infiltration attempt”.

He expressed “heartfelt condolences and expression of sympathy” to the bereaved family of the martyred Naib Subedar Hidayat Aman, adding that nation takes pride in the “professional capabilities and courage” of the security forces.

KP has been witnessing terrorist attacks and security challenges for a long time

September particularly witnessed a significant deterioration in Pakistan’s overall security environment, accompanied by growing political, economic and regional pressures, according to Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies (PICSS).

Terrorist violence increased substantially, with 225 attacks recorded nationwide, compared with 199 in August, representing a 13.1 per cent increase and the highest monthly total recorded in 12 years.

On Sept 27, 14 people, including two rescue officials, were martyred and 35 sustained injuries after a suicide bomber rammed an explosive-laden vehicle into a police checkpost in and then targeted an ambulance taking bodies to hospital in DI Khan.

On Sept 18, a major attack in the old Police Lines in KP’s Kohat claimed 23 lives and injured about 100 others. Eight terrorists were killed during an overnight clearance operation.