Pakistani troops thwarted an attempted cross-border raid by approximately 15-16 Taliban terrorists near Kurram on October 12th, between 6:38 PM and 7:07 PM UTC. The militants advanced from Turkmanzai Top toward Paloseen village in two vehicles, but Pakistani forces, expecting the incursion, engaged them with machine guns and RPGs, forcing a retreat toward an Afghan ridge where mortar fire was subsequently employed, according to a report from @Mohsin_o2. This incident occurs as Pakistan remains on alert on both its western and eastern borders, with unconfirmed reports of heavy Indian air activity near the Line of Control and over Sindh. In a separate development, Pakistani forces have consolidated control over a strategically important hill in the Zear Zoa area of Birmal district, Paktika province, following an advance that placed them approximately 2 km inside Afghanistan. This captured terrain is now roughly 3 km from Margha bazaar, and local civilians have been prevented from accessing the hills, as reported by @Himat75. The Pakistani military also reported repelling another Afghan Taliban raid in the Kurram region, where militants retreated after engaging Pakistani forces and were subsequently fired upon with mortars. The political landscape in Pakistan is also active, with Imran Khan's party calling for a mass rally tomorrow in all southern districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. Meanwhile, a statement from @KabulPostAF suggested that Ahmad Massoud and his movement represent the only legitimate address in Afghanistan capable of bringing peace and strengthening relations with neighbors like Pakistan, particularly in the context of terrorism threats. These events unfold amidst ongoing border tensions and Pakistan's Phase II of "Operation Khyber Storm," aimed at eliminating the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) within Afghanistan. Previous reports indicated Pakistani Army forces had advanced approximately 2 km inside Afghanistan's Paktika province earlier on October 12th, capturing a strategically important hill. Pakistan's Defence Minister Khawaja Asif had previously commented on the need for Afghan refugees to return and for Pakistan to "redeem our economy."
