Pakistani security forces conducted raids on two Pakistani Taliban hideouts near the Afghan border over the past two days, resulting in the deaths of 12 soldiers and 35 militants, the military said Saturday.
In the first operation in Bajaur district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 22 militants were killed. A separate raid in South Waziristan claimed the lives of 13 militants and 12 soldiers, who the military said “paid the ultimate sacrifice and embraced martyrdom.”
The army said militants are using Afghan territory to launch attacks in Pakistan and called on the Taliban government in Kabul to prevent such activities. The killed militants were described as “Khwarij,” a term used for the Pakistani Taliban, and the military alleged Indian backing, though no evidence was provided.
The Pakistani Taliban, also known as Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), operates separately from the Afghan Taliban but is closely allied and has been emboldened since the Taliban took power in Kabul in 2021.