ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan army said on Wednesday six militants and a soldier were killed in an intelligence-based operation in the country’s restive northwest district bordering Afghanistan.
Militants and security forces often clash in Pakistan’s tribal districts that lie on the Pakistan-Afghanistan border. The area is a former stronghold of the Pakistani Taliban and other militant groups.
According to a statement from the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), security forces conducted an operation in Datta Khel, North Waziristan.
“Troops executed a successful operation and killed 6 x terrorists. Weapons and ammunition were also recovered from the killed terrorists,” the military statement said. “The killed terrorists remained actively involved in terrorist activities against security forces.”
One soldier, Lance Naik Islam ud Din, aged 34 years, and a resident of Khyber district, was killed in cross-fire, the army said.
“Sanitization of the area is being carried out to eliminate any other terrorists found in the area,” the statement added.
Pakistan has seen an increase in attacks on urban centers in the country ever since the Afghan Taliban took over the country in August 2021. The Pakistani government recently announced it is holding negotiations with the local Taliban to put an end to the conflict and give peace a chance. Last week, parliament formally okayed the talks and set up a parliamentary committee to oversee them.