Pakistan security forces kill 15 militants attempting to cross from Afghanistan
ISLAMABAD (AP) — Pakistan’s security forces killed 15 militants attempting to cross into the country…
In a development signaling ongoing tensions along the border, Pakistan's security forces announced on Thursday that they had killed 15 militants attempting to cross from Afghanistan into the country. The military identified the deceased militants as "Fitna al-Khawarij," a term used by Pakistani authorities to refer to the Pakistani Taliban, also known as Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).
The military claimed that these militants were sponsored by India. The incident occurred on Tuesday when the militants crossed into North Waziristan, a district in Pakistan's northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. The military reported that an exchange of fire persisted for 36 hours following the infiltration attempt. No immediate statements were released by Kabul or New Delhi.
Pakistan's acting President, Yousaf Raza Gilani, commended the security forces for successfully thwarting the infiltration effort and vowed that militants backed by India would not be allowed to disrupt the nation's peace, stability, and prosperity. He also emphasized that counterterrorism operations would persist until terrorism was eradicated.
Militant violence has escalated in Pakistan recently, with the majority attributed to the TTP, a group separate yet closely allied with the Afghan Taliban. Pakistan asserts that numerous TTP leaders and insurgents have taken refuge in Afghanistan since the Taliban regained power there in 2021, a claim that Kabul denies. The latest operation occurred just a day after Pakistan's Foreign Ministry stated that advancements in enhancing relations with Afghanistan would depend on Kabul's actions and assurances.
Written by urgent.news from Associated Press's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
