Taliban resurgence in Pakistan leaves two paramilitaries dead

Thursday 04 September 2025 - 15:30

By: Sahili Aya

Taliban resurgence in Pakistan leaves two paramilitaries dead

Two paramilitary officers were killed and five others injured during a clash with local Taliban fighters in the Swat district of northwestern Pakistan, officials confirmed on Thursday. The incident highlights growing fears among residents of a resurgence of the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), whose presence once dominated the region.

According to a local authority, the troops were on patrol in the mountainous province of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa after residents reported graffiti with the initials “TTP” appearing on walls. The patrol was ambushed, sparking a gun battle that left casualties.

Violence linked to the TTP — a group ideologically aligned with the Afghan Taliban and battle-hardened in Afghanistan — has increased across western Pakistan since the Taliban seized power in Kabul in 2021. Officials report a sharp rise in militant activity over the past two months, with nine security personnel killed in just the last ten days.

Residents of Swat and surrounding districts express concern about a return to the dark years of extremist violence that plagued the region after Pakistan allied with the United States in its “war on terror” following the 9/11 attacks. Many recall bombings in markets, mosques, and public spaces that forced thousands to flee their homes.

Pakistan experienced its deadliest year in nearly a decade in 2024, with more than 1,600 fatalities linked to extremist violence. Since January 2025, around 450 people — mostly security forces — have been killed in clashes and attacks in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and neighboring Balochistan.

Earlier this week, 26 people were killed in a suicide bombing claimed by the Islamic State (IS) at a political rally in southwestern Pakistan, underlining the growing threat of militant groups across the country.