Five Pakistani soldiers lost their lives in gun battles with Islamist militants in the country’s northwest region bordering Afghanistan, the Pakistan Army announced on Monday.
The Pakistan Army reported hat these fatalities occurred in Khyber district and were part of ongoing operations against militant hideouts. The clashes are in addition to the deaths of two other soldiers, including an officer, who were killed the previous day near Peshawar.
The military disclosed that a total of 23 militants have been killed over the last two days during three intelligence-based operations in northwest Pakistan, close to the Afghan border. These militants were accused of engaging in numerous terrorist activities against both security forces and innocent civilians.
While the military did not specify the militant group’s affiliation, the region has long been a stronghold for Islamist and sectarian militants operating under the umbrella of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). The TTP aims to overthrow the Pakistani government and impose a strict interpretation of Islamic law.
Islamabad claims that TTP leaders are based in Afghanistan, where they operate training camps to prepare militants for attacks inside Pakistan. Kabul has dismissed rising violence in Pakistan as a domestic issue for Islamabad to resolve.
Relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan have deteriorated recently, with Islamabad accusing Kabul of insufficient action against militant groups targeting Pakistan.
The situation was further strained when Pakistan arrested 11 Islamist militants linked to a suicide bombing that killed five Chinese engineers. Pakistan alleged that the attack was orchestrated by the TTP from Afghan territory, a charge that Kabul has denied.
With Inputs From Reuters
