At least six Pakistani soldiers, including a Captain, were killed on Wednesday after an improvised explosive device (IED) targeted a military convoy in the Kurram district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said.
According to the military’s media wing, the convoy came under attack in the Sultani area near the Afghan border when terrorists opened fire and detonated an explosive device near Dogar, resulting in the deaths of one officer and five soldiers.
Security forces immediately retaliated, killing seven militants during the exchange of fire. The area has been cordoned off, and a search operation is underway to eliminate any remaining threats, the ISPR added.
Pakistan has seen a significant rise in militant activity in recent months, particularly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, where security forces and law enforcement personnel have been frequent targets. The surge in violence follows the breakdown of the ceasefire between the government and the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) in 2022.
This comes amid reports that authorities in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) have tightened controls on residents seeking employment abroad by restricting the issuance of passports, travel permits, and No Objection Certificates (NOCs).
Officials have cited “security concerns” for these measures, which are often used to suppress dissent and restrict travel by individuals with political or family links to activities considered sensitive by the administration.
According to an Amnesty International report, the lack of job opportunities, rising cost of living, and increasing poverty have contributed to growing mental health issues and drug abuse among the region’s more educated and socially aware population.
Recently, the report noted that demonstrations broke out in Muzaffarabad, where at least nine people were killed and several others injured as frustrated youth took to the streets to express their long-standing grievances.
In response, Pakistani authorities reportedly used excessive force to break up the peaceful protests and imposed communication blackouts to suppress dissent.
