ISLAMABAD: Security forces have killed 18 militants in separate operations in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and Balochistan, security sources said on Wednesday.
According to the sources, 13 militants were killed during an operation targeting militant hideouts in North Waziristan and adjoining areas of KP, while five others were killed in a separate operation in Mastung district of Balochistan.
The security sources described the militants as members of groups referred to by Pakistani authorities as Fitna al-Khawarij in KP and Fitna al-Hindustan in Balochistan.
Weapons and ammunition were also recovered from the militants during the operations, the sources said.
Clearance operations launched
Security forces carried out a follow-up clearance operation in the areas after the raids to search for any remaining militants, according to the sources.
The operations form part of Pakistan’s continuing counterterrorism campaign in KP and Balochistan, two regions that have experienced significant militant activity.
The latest claims come amid a broader increase in militant violence across Pakistan.
According to the Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies (PICSS), 225 militant attacks were recorded nationwide in September, compared with 199 in August, representing a 13.1% increase. PICSS described September’s figure as the highest monthly total in 12 years.
The institute said security forces conducted 74 notable counterterrorism operations during September, resulting in 280 militant fatalities. Balochistan accounted for 171 of those reported militant deaths, while operations were also conducted in KP and the former tribal districts.
Security forces kill 11 terrorists in Balochistan operations, sources say
Pakistan raises concerns over cross-border militancy
Islamabad has repeatedly raised concerns about militant groups operating from Afghan territory and carrying out attacks inside Pakistan.
Pakistan maintains that the Afghan Taliban authorities have not taken sufficient action against groups responsible for attacks on Pakistani security forces and civilians. Kabul has rejected such allegations.
The issue remains a major point of contention between Pakistan and Afghanistan despite multiple rounds of talks.
PICSS reported that Balochistan recorded 131 militant attacks in September, accounting for more than half of the nationwide total. Mainland KP recorded 58 attacks, while the former tribal districts recorded 34.
The latest operations come as Pakistani security forces continue efforts to target militant networks and their hideouts in areas affected by persistent violence.
The claims of militant deaths and weapons recoveries in the latest operations have been attributed to security sources, and further details regarding the identities of those killed were not immediately provided.
