Pakistani forces kill 11 militants in restive northwest amid surge in attacks

ISLAMABAD: Pakistani security forces have killed 11 militants in separate operations in the country’s northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province, the Pakistani military said on Wednesday, amid a surge in attacks in the region.

Seven militants were killed during an exchange of fire in an intelligence-based operation (IBO) in KP’s Tank district, according to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the military’s media wing.

Two militants were killed in an encounter in North Waziristan district, while a third operation in Mohmand district killed two more militants, following an intense exchange of fire.

“Weapons and ammunition were also recovered from killed khwarij [militants], who remained actively involved in numerous terrorist activities against the security forces as well as innocent civilians,” the ISPR said in a statement late Wednesday.

“Sanitization operations are being carried out to eliminate any other Kharji found in the area.”

Pakistan’s 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.

Earlier this month, six Pakistani soldiers and 22 militants were killed in three separate gunfights in Tank, North Waziristan and Kurram districts of KP, according to the military.

Pakistan has frequently accused neighboring Afghanistan of sheltering and supporting militant groups, urging the Taliban administration in Kabul to prevent its territory from being used by armed factions to launch cross-border attacks.

Afghan officials, however, deny involvement, insisting Pakistan’s security issues are an internal matter of Islamabad.