https://arab.news/rw5af
- The militants were killed in two separate encounters in North Waziristan and Khyber tribal districts
- Pakistan blames surge in militancy on militants operating out of Afghanistan, Kabul denies the charge
ISLAMABAD: Pakistani security forces have killed four militants in two separate operations in the country’s northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province, the Pakistani military said on Sunday.
Two militants were killed in an exchange of fire during an intelligence-based operation in the North Waziristan district, according to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the military’s media wing.
In another encounter in the Khyber district, Pakistani troops effectively engaged a group of militants, killing two of them and injuring three others.
The ISPR said the deceased militants had been “actively involved” in militant activities against law enforcement agencies as well as the civilians.
“Sanitization of the area is being carried out,” it said in a statement. “Security forces of Pakistan are determined to wipe out the menace of terrorism from the country.”
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, which borders Afghanistan, has witnessed a number of attacks by the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and other militant groups that targeted security forces convoys and check posts, besides targeted killings and kidnappings of law enforcers and government officials in recent months.
Islamabad blames Kabul for facilitating anti-Pakistan militants and says it has consistently taken up the issue of cross-border attacks with the Taliban administration.
The Taliban deny allowing the use of Afghan soil for attacks against any country and say rising violence in Pakistan is a domestic issue of Islamabad.