At least 14 militants were killed and several others injured in a clash between rival armed groups in Pakistan’s northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province on Wednesday (May 20, 2026), police said.

According to a police officer, fighting erupted between groups led by militant commanders Ahmad Kazim and Mumtaz Imti in the Manato Kamran Killay area of Central Kurram district, bordering Afghanistan.

Mr. Mumtaz Imti was killed during the exchange of fire, the officer said.

After the clash, locals buried the bodies in the area.

Authorities said multiple operations have been conducted in Central Kurram amid reports of the presence of several militant factions in the region.

During these operations, security forces destroyed militant training centres and hideouts, and killed hundreds of militants, they added.

Police said several armed groups are believed to be operating in the Manato Kamran Killay area of Central Kurram.

Nine suspected militants and four security officials were killed in a gunfire in Pakistan’s restive Khyber Pakhtunkhwa region, district officials said.

The incident took place late Thursday (May 14, 2026) night in Bajaur district. According to officials, a group of militants launched attacks in the areas of Meena and Inayat Kalay, but security forces “responded effectively”. While nine attackers — all of them suspected militants – were killed on the post, several others sustained injuries.

The area was later cordoned off and a search operation was launched to track the remaining militants.

Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) has claimed responsibility for the attack.

The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa region in northwest Pakistan has faced recurring unrest over the years driven by militant violence, cross-border movement of fighters from Afghanistan and repeated military operations. Its mountainous terrain and porous frontier add to the challenges for security forces.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has seen a surge in terrorist attacks in the past year. According to the Annual Security Report 2025 from the Centre for Research and Security Studies (CRSS) , total fatalities rose from 1,620 in 2024 to 2,331 in 2025.