Over 8,000 TTP terrorists present in KP, set up checkpoints: officials

• 800 terrorists present in Bajaur and Khyber districts alone: officials.
  
• Militants infiltrated into Pakistan via Afghanistan, they add.
• Security forces face difficulties in retaliating against terror attacks.
  

PESHAWAR: In an alarming disclosure, government officials have said that there are more than 8,000 Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), declared "Fitna al-Khawarij", terrorists in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

The terrorists, the officials added, have crossed into the country from neighbouring Afghanistan via lesser-known routes through the porous border and are present in Peshawar, Tank, Dera Ismail Khan, Bannu, Lakki Marwat, Swat, Shangla and merged districts.

Saying that the militants set up checkpoints on the CPEC Road, DI Khan-Bannu Road and in Tank, the officials said that the terrorists take refuge in the general population and attack security forces.

The worrying revelation comes as KP, which borders neighbouring Afghanistan, has been facing the brunt of terror incidents along with Balochistan.

KP, as per a police report, has has witnessed more than 600 terrorism incidents in the first eight months of 2025.

There were 605 terror incidents in the province till August, which resulted in the martyrdom of 138 civilians, while 352 others were left wounded.

Whereas 79 police personnel were martyred and 130 were injured, the report added.

In last month alone, 17 civilians were martyred and 51 were wounded, along with 13 police personnel martyrdom and 46 injuries in a total of 129 terror incidents.

Meanwhile, 351 suspects were named in terrorism incidents, 32 were gunned down and five were arrested in August.

Bannu reported the highest number of terror incidents, 42, in the previous month. In North Waziristan, 15 terror incidents were reported, 14 in South Waziristan and 11 in Dir.

'Aware of their presence'

Expanding on the situation in the province, the government officials said that the security forces face difficulties in retaliating against terrorist attacks and have suffered casualties because of it.

Also, in jirgas chaired by Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur, the tribal elders have expressed dismay over the infiltration of terrorists from Afghanistan, the officials added.

The tribal leaders have demanded the CM to raise the issue of infiltration with the Afghan government.

With 800 terrorists in Bajaur and Khyber districts alone, the security forces have gunned down as many as 80 militants — attempting to infiltrate from Afghanistan — in Bajaur and North Waziristan in recent weeks

Expressing his views on the issue, KP government's spokesperson Muhammad Ali Saif said that the terrorists make videos on the road and then escape.

"If terrorists have courage, they should come in the morning instead of at night," Saif said.

The spokesperson further reaffirmed the government resolve to eradicate the menace of terrorism and stressed that intelligence-based operations (IBOs) were being carried out in the province.

Speaking to Geo News, KP Inspector General Police (IGP) Zulfiqar Hameed said that they were aware of the terrorists' presence and activities in KP.

Noting that militants had been eliminated in DI Khan, Lakki Marwat, Bajaur, Khyber, Bannu and Dir, IGP Hameed said that 39 terrorists were killed in August in 190 operations whereas 110 were arrested.

"We have taken strict notice of the Fitna al-Khawarij setting up roadblocks," the police official remarked, adding that day-night patrols have been commence on the CPEC Road in cooperation with he Motorway Police.