KHYBER: Security forces have launched a new strategy in the border districts of Khyber and Bajaur, aiming to cripple the supply networks that sustain militant groups operating along the Pakistan-Afghanistan frontier. The move, initiated under directives from Corps Headquarters Peshawar, marks a significant shift in counter-terror operations, with a sharper focus on prevention rather than reaction.
Officials revealed that law enforcement agencies are intensifying surveillance, conducting intelligence-based operations, and increasing patrols in vulnerable zones. The aim is to choke off access to weapons, finances, and manpower that militants often secure through porous border routes. Sources say the new plan is designed to restrict terrorists to their current hideouts, limit movement, and block opportunities for recruitment or regrouping.
The strategy places particular emphasis on the critical September-to-February window, when militant elements attempt to retreat into Afghan sanctuaries or exploit the border belt for resupply. By tightening control during these months, security forces hope to deal a decisive blow to their operational capacity.
Unlike large-scale offensives of the past, this approach relies on remote and targeted operations to minimize collateral damage and avoid the displacement of local populations. Special measures are also being prepared to handle scenarios where militants may attempt to use civilians as human shields. Escape routes are being monitored to ensure that once these groups move, they can be neutralised effectively and with reduced civilian risk.
Authorities believe that cutting supply chains will not only weaken the operational strength of groups like the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), but also demoralise their fighters and reduce their ability to carry out high-profile attacks inside the country. The shift represents a calculated effort to break a cycle of cross-border militancy that has destabilised the region for years.
This story has been reported by PakTribune. All rights reserved.