Dir Lower, Pakistan – September 14, 2025 – In a rare display of negotiation amid escalating violence in Pakistan’s northwest, the bodies of seven Pakistani soldiers killed in a clash with militants were exchanged for those of fallen Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) fighters, according to local reports. The exchange, facilitated by a tribal jirga in Lail Qila, Dir Lower, highlights the ongoing tensions and complex tribal dynamics in the region bordering Afghanistan.
The clash occurred on September 12 in Sar Banda, Lail Qila, where militants ambushed Pakistan Army personnel, resulting in the deaths of seven soldiers. The militants seized the bodies of the fallen troops. Following mediated talks by a local jirga—a traditional assembly of tribal elders—the Pakistan Army handed over the bodies of militants killed in recent operations in the nearby Mohmand and Bajaur districts. In return, the militants released the soldiers’ remains to the jirga for proper burial.
In his post, shared details of the incident on X (formerly Twitter), stating: “The Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) has previously condemned the alleged desecration of fallen militants’ bodies by the Pakistan Army, urging an end to such actions. The TTP warns of severe consequences if this continues.” The Pakistan Army has declined to comment on the development.
This exchange comes amid a surge in militant activity in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. Just days earlier, Pakistani military operations near the Afghan border resulted in the deaths of at least 19 soldiers and 35 militants in multiple clashes. The TTP, also known as the Pakistani Taliban, claimed responsibility for the attacks, which included ambushes on army convoys. According to military statements, a total of 45 TTP militants were killed across three separate operations in the region.
The TTP, formed in 2007 under Baitullah Mehsud, seeks to establish strict Islamic rule in Pakistan’s tribal areas and has been emboldened since the Afghan Taliban’s return to power in 2021. Islamabad accuses the group of operating from safe havens in Afghanistan, a claim denied by Kabul. Recent incidents have included cross-border transfers of militant bodies, with reports in August indicating that the bodies of 50 TTP fighters killed in Pakistan were handed over to Afghan Taliban authorities in Paktika province.
Tribal jirgas have long played a mediating role in Pakistan’s restive northwest, drawing on Pashtunwali customs to resolve disputes where formal state mechanisms falter. Historical precedents include the 1949 jirga that addressed Afghanistan-Pakistan border issues and more recent mediations during the U.S.-led war on terror. However, such negotiations with militants remain controversial, with critics arguing they undermine military authority.
The Pakistan Army’s silence on the exchange contrasts with past admissions by leaders like former President Pervez Musharraf, who acknowledged training militants for operations in Kashmir. Analysts suggest this strategic ambiguity contributes to persistent border instability, exacerbated by TTP’s cross-border movements.
As violence intensifies, with at least four civilians injured in the recent clashes, local communities in Dir Lower and surrounding areas continue to bear the brunt. The exchange may signal a temporary de-escalation, but TTP’s warnings of retaliation if body desecrations persist indicate that the cycle of conflict is far from over.
This development underscores the challenges facing Pakistan’s security forces in combating a resurgent insurgency, with calls growing for enhanced diplomatic efforts with Afghanistan to curb militant safe havens.
