In 2025, the rise of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) i.e. Pakistani Taliban has intensified in Pakistan. This is happening with the help of Afghan Taliban. TTP fighters are in small numbers. Their weapons are old. Still, they are causing huge losses to the Pakistani Army through the cunningness of guerrilla warfare.
Afghan border clashes in October 2025 Pakistan 58 soldiers of Pakistan were killed, while Pakistan claimed the death of more than 200 fighters.
Also read: How big is the Taliban army which has worsened the condition of PAK?
What is guerrilla warfare?
Guerrilla warfare means a game of small attacks. In this, small troops fight against a big army. They avoid direct confrontation. Makes a surprise attack, then hides. Take advantage of mountains, forests or villages. They use old weapons like rifles, IEDs (road bombs) and sometimes drones. The objective is to tire, scare and weaken the enemy. vietnam or afghanistan The same thing happened in the wars.
How are TTP fighters fighting?
TTP has more than 8,000 fighters, but the Pakistani army numbers in lakhs. Still, they are winning smartly. His main moves are…
Surprise Attacks (Ambush): They suddenly attack Pakistani convoys on the roads. On October 8, 2025, 11 Pakistani soldiers, including two officers, were killed in a similar attack in South Waziristan. The fighters attack, then cross the border into Afghanistan and flee.
Also read: Does Taliban have fighter jets and missiles… how will it respond to Pakistani air strike?
Advantage of hilly areas: The hilly areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa like North and South Waziristan are TTP strongholds. There are dense forests and high peaks here. Tanks and helicopters of Pakistani Army are difficult to reach. TTP lays IED secretly. Shoots with a sniper rifle. In July 2025, Pakistan’s ‘Operation Sarbkaf’ was conducted in Bajaur district, but TTP again captured it.
Cross Border Help: afghan Taliban They provide training camps, money and weapons to TTP. Weapons left behind when America left Afghanistan, such as night vision goggles and sniper rifles, are now in the possession of TTP. When the border is open, they attack and run away to Afghanistan. In September 2025, 19 Pakistani soldiers were killed in a border raid.
Support of local people: TTP takes advantage of the resentment of the Pashtun community. By merging the Fata area into the mainstream, people had to lose their autonomy. The army is accused of human rights violations. Through propaganda, TTP calls itself the protector of Pashtuns. They target government people like polio vaccinators or laborers, so that development stops. Local people are afraid of this, but also give some support.
Why is Pakistani army losing?
Pakistani army has modern weapons, but it is made for conventional war (direct war). They get trapped in guerrilla warfare. They run small operations, but are unable to control the area for long. A major attack is difficult due to economic problems and political discord. There have been more than 600 attacks by TTP in 2025, which is more than in the entire year of 2024. Thousands of people have become homeless due to this.
What will happen next?
This rise of TTP is a big threat for Pakistan. If the help to Afghan Taliban is not stopped, the war will last longer. Pakistan needs solutions to local problems, not just military action. This is a matter of concern for India also, because instability is increasing in the region. Guerrilla warfare proves that numbers and weapons are not always everything. The combination of cleverness and ground is more powerful.
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