ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s military has confirmed the killing of 31 local Taliban militants during two separate operations conducted near the Afghanistan border.
The military operations followed a deadly ambush on Saturday that killed 12 soldiers in a neighbouring district, with the Pakistani Taliban claiming responsibility for the attack.
Authorities used the term “Khwarij” to describe the TTP fighters killed during the weekend operations, according to a military statement published late Monday.
Pakistan has accused archfoe India of backing the militants, referencing a four-day skirmish between the nuclear-armed neighbours that occurred in May.
The two countries have long accused each other of supporting militant forces to destabilise one another’s territories.
Sanitization operations continue in the area to eliminate any remaining Indian-sponsored militants, the military statement confirmed.
Militancy has significantly increased in Pakistan’s border regions with Afghanistan since the Taliban returned to power in Kabul during 2021.
Security officials have reported an increased presence of TTP militants over the past two months, according to AFP sources.
The TTP operates as a separate group from the Afghan Taliban despite maintaining close links between the two organisations.
Islamabad accuses Afghanistan of failing to expel militants who use Afghan territory to launch attacks against Pakistan, allegations that Kabul authorities consistently deny.
More than 460 people, predominantly security force members, have died this year in attacks by armed groups fighting the state in northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and southern Balochistan provinces.
Last year marked Pakistan’s deadliest period in nearly a decade, with over 1,600 fatalities including nearly half being soldiers and police officers according to security studies research. – AFP