Pakistani forces say they killed 20 suspected TTP fighters in northwest raids — eight in North Waziristan and 12 in Dara Adam Khel — and repelled a separate suicide attack on a cadet college in Wana. Diplomatic talks in Istanbul collapsed after Kabul refused to give a written guarantee that militants would not use Afghan territory against Pakistan, escalating tensions that followed deadly border clashes and an Oct. 19 ceasefire. Islamabad and Kabul continue to exchange accusations over militant safe havens as both sides seek international mediation.
Pakistan Reports 20 Suspected TTP Fighters Killed Near Afghan Border; Cadet College Assault Repelled
Pakistani forces say they killed 20 suspected TTP fighters in northwest raids — eight in North Waziristan and 12 in Dara Adam Khel — and repelled a separate suicide attack on a cadet college in Wana. Diplomatic talks in Istanbul collapsed after Kabul refused to give a written guarantee that militants would not use Afghan territory against Pakistan, escalating tensions that followed deadly border clashes and an Oct. 19 ceasefire. Islamabad and Kabul continue to exchange accusations over militant safe havens as both sides seek international mediation.
02:11 AM, 11/11/2025Conflict
Pakistan reports 20 suspected TTP fighters killed near Afghan border
Pakistan's military said Monday that security forces killed 20 suspected members of the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) in raids on hideouts in the northwestern region bordering Afghanistan, as diplomatic tensions between Islamabad and Kabul intensified following recent cross-border clashes.
In a separate incident, militants including a suicide attacker attempted to storm a cadet college in Wana, South Waziristan, triggering a gunbattle. The military said a suicide vehicle-borne attacker rammed the college's main gate, troops killed at least two assailants and later cornered three more inside an administrative block.
According to the military, eight militants were killed Sunday in North Waziristan — a former TTP stronghold in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province — and 12 others were killed in a separate operation in Dara Adam Khel district. The armed forces used the term "Khwarij" to describe the slain fighters, a label Islamabad applies to the outlawed TTP, which is designated as a terrorist organization by the United States and the United Nations.
The military alleged the attackers had backing from rival India and "handlers" in Afghanistan and added:
"Pakistan reserves the right to respond against terrorists and their leadership present in Afghanistan."New Delhi denies supporting the TTP. The TTP issued a statement denying responsibility for the Wana attack.
These events occurred amid a diplomatic impasse after the collapse of a third round of talks in Istanbul over the weekend. The negotiations, facilitated by Qatar and Turkey and convened after deadly clashes along the border, ended without agreement after Kabul declined to provide a written guarantee that the TTP and other militant groups would not be allowed to use Afghan territory against Pakistan.
Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi said Kabul remains "committed to preventing its territory from being used against any country," but he blamed Pakistan for the stalemate and described Islamabad's demands as "completely unacceptable." Pakistan's foreign ministry reiterated its commitment to dialogue but said its core concern — "terrorism emanating from Afghanistan" — must be addressed first.
Background: The TTP is separate from, but allied to, the Afghan Taliban and has grown more active since the Afghan Taliban returned to power in 2021. Many TTP leaders and fighters are believed to have relocated to Afghanistan, and the group has frequently claimed attacks inside Pakistan. Tensions escalated after Afghanistan accused Pakistan of carrying out drone strikes in Kabul on Oct. 9; subsequent fighting killed dozens before Qatar brokered a ceasefire on Oct. 19.
Reporting: This report includes contributions from Associated Press writers Ishtiaq Mahsud in Dera Ismail Khan, Riaz Khan and Rasool Dawar in Peshawar.