ISLAMABAD: Two Pakistani soldiers, including an army major, and six militants were killed in operation in Pakistan’s northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province, the Pakistani military said on Thursday, amid a surge in militancy in the restive region.
Pakistan has witnessed the surge in militancy in KP, which borders Afghanistan, since a fragile truce between the Pakistani Taliban, or the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), and the state broke down in November 2022.
The soldiers and the militants were killed in an exchange of fire during an intelligence-based operation in the North Waziristan district, according to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the Pakistani military’s media wing.
“Sanitization operation is being conducted to eliminate any other Kharji [militant] found in the area,” the ISPR said in a statement.
The development comes days after Pakistan security forces killed 30 militants in separate engagements in KP’s Lakki Marwat, Karak and Khyber districts.
The TTP and other militant groups have stepped up their attacks against security forces, besides targeted killings and kidnappings of law enforcers and government officials, in recent months.
Islamabad has frequently accused neighboring Afghanistan of sheltering anti-Pakistan groups which launch cross-border attacks. Afghan officials deny allowing the use of their soil against any country.
