ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s military said on Tuesday security forces killed 2,597 militants in more than 75,000 counterterrorism operations in 2025, describing the year as “landmark” in the country’s long-running fight against militancy, even as violence claimed the lives of 1,235 civilians and law-enforcement personnel.

The assessment comes as independent Pakistani research groups reported a decline in militant attacks and fatalities in the final months of the year, following Islamabad’s decision to shut parts of its border with Afghanistan in October amid heightened security concerns.

Pakistan has repeatedly accused Afghanistan of allowing banned armed groups — including the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) — to operate from its territory, blaming the Taliban-led government in Kabul for facilitating attacks inside Pakistan. Afghan authorities deny the allegations.

Highlighting the scale of operations, military spokesperson Lt. Gen. Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry said security forces conducted 75,175 intelligence-based operations (IBOs) during the year.

“The past year was a landmark and consequential one in the war against terrorism,” Chaudhry said while addressing a news conference at the army’s General Headquarters in Rawalpindi.

“This year, complete alignment was achieved between the Pakistani state and the public on the issue of terrorism,” he added.

Chaudhry said an “exceptionally high number” of counterterrorism missions were carried out in 2025, averaging more than 200 intelligence-based operations per day.

According to military data presented at the briefing, Pakistan recorded 5,397 militant incidents nationwide during the year. The northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province accounted for 3,811 attacks, while 1,557 incidents were reported in the southwestern province of Balochistan.

Reiterating Islamabad’s concerns over cross-border militancy, Chaudhry said suicide attacks carried out inside Pakistan during the year involved Afghan nationals. He said Pakistani forces had intercepted and killed militants attempting to infiltrate the country, adding that Pakistan’s position on Afghanistan’s role in militancy was gaining international recognition.

The military spokesperson also said militants increasingly used quadcopters to target civilians and security personnel, particularly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, alleging the equipment was supplied by India. New Delhi has repeatedly denied supporting militant groups operating in Pakistan.

Chaudhry further rejected allegations of civilian harm during counterterrorism operations, saying Pakistani forces had caused no “collateral damage” while carrying out actions against militants.