The Kabul Tribune (KT) — Pakistani security forces killed 11 militants in separate intelligence-based operations in the northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and southwestern Balochistan provinces, state media reported Friday.
Radio Pakistan reported that five militants were killed
during an intelligence-based operation in South Waziristan district of Khyber
Pakhtunkhwa.
Citing security sources, the state broadcaster said the
forces targeted and destroyed militant hideouts and recovered weapons and
ammunition from those killed. The sources said security forces were continuing
operations against the group under Pakistan’s Azm-i-Istehkam counterterrorism
initiative.
Pakistan refers to the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan, or
TTP, as Fitna al-Khawarij.
In a separate operation, PTV News reported that security
forces killed six militants in the Gorander and Mashkel areas of Balochistan.
According to the report, the militants opened fire on a
security checkpoint in Mashkel and attempted to flee. Security forces responded
and killed those who were fleeing, state media said, citing security sources.
Pakistan refers to some Balochistan-based militant groups as
Fitna al-Hindustan.
The reports did not provide independent verification of the
number of militants killed.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has faced persistent militant attacks and
security operations. The Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies
recorded 54 militant attacks in the province, excluding the merged districts,
in August, up from 36 in July.
The latest reported operations follow a series of security
actions in the province. On Sept. 30, security forces said they killed three
militants in an intelligence-based operation in Mir Ali. Five others were
reported killed a day earlier in an operation in Bara, while four were killed
in an operation in Dera Ismail Khan on Monday.
Last week, a suicide bombing targeting a police checkpoint
in Darazinda tehsil of Dera Ismail Khan killed 12 people and wounded 35 others,
according to Pakistani authorities.
On Sept. 18, an attack at the former Police Lines in Kohat
killed 23 people and wounded about 100 others. Security forces later killed
eight militants during an overnight clearance operation, according to
officials.
Earlier in September, security forces reported killing 10
militants in separate operations in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa between Sept. 15 and 17.
More than 20 others were reported killed in multiple engagements in the
province between Sept. 3 and 5.
