ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan army said on Monday it had killed eleven militants in two different operations in the northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, amid a surge in terror attacks in the South Asian country. 

Security in areas of Pakistan bordering Afghanistan has deteriorated in recent months. Attacks, some claimed by the Pakistani Taliban (TTP) Islamist militant group, have risen, mostly targeting police and security officials, while separatist groups have also launched attacks in the country’s southern and southwestern regions.

Five Japanese nationals narrowly escaped a suicide bombing on their vehicle last week, while unknown gunmen killed two customs officers on Sunday, following the killing of five other customs officials in the area in recent days.

“An intelligence-based operation was conducted in Dera Ismail Khan District on reported presence of terrorists. During conduct of the operation, after an intense fire exchange, ten terrorists were successfully neutralized and sent to hell,” the military’s media wing said

“In another encounter in North Waziristan District, own troops effectively engaged the terrorists’ location as a result of which one more terrorist was sent to hell.”

The army said the militants had been involved in “numerous terrorist activities in the area against security forces as well as the innocent civilians.” The two operations took place on April 21-22. 

The current rise in attacks has escalated tensions between Pakistan and the Afghanistan’s ruling Taliban administration. Pakistan, saying militants have been using Afghan territory to launch attacks, has called on the Taliban to take action and carried out an airstrike last month on Afghan territory.

The Taliban have denied allowing the use of Afghan soil for militancy and said Pakistan’s security issues are a domestic issue for Islamabad.