The region has been long fought over by a mix of militant organisations, including the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), the Ansar ul Islam and Mangal Bagh's Lashkar-e-Islam.

The operation 'Khyber-1' began with airstrikes against Lashkar-e-Islam outs in areas under the Mangal Bagh led group's control in Tirah and Bara on 17 October 2014, Ultimately killing 21 militants and destroying their three key bases.

[7] Announced in February 2015 and launched in March 2015, Operation Khyber-2 was aimed to clear the Tirah valley main target being Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan.

[14] Lashkar-e-Islam (Urdu: لشكرِ اسلام), (LI or LeI) (literally Army of Islam) is a militant organization active in and around Khyber Agency, Federally Administered Tribal Areas, Pakistan.

[15] On 9 November 2014, JuA spokesman Ehsanullah Ehsan confirmed that Abu Jandal was leading a contingent of 50 fighters in battle against the Pakistani security forces in Tirah.

[16] Tehrik-i-Taliban is an umbrella organization of various Islamist militant groups based in the northwestern Federally Administered Tribal Areas along the Afghan border in Pakistan.

Mangal Bagh is reported to have requested TTP and other militant groups to send their fighters to the Tirah valley to support LI.