RAWALPINDI: Pakistan’s security forces killed 15 militants while foiling an infiltration attempt along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border near North Waziristan, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said on Thursday.
According to the military’s media wing, security forces detected the movement of a group attempting to enter Pakistan from Afghanistan during the night of August 31 and September 1.
ISPR said the militants belonged to what it describes as the India-sponsored “Fitna al-Khawarij”, a term used by Pakistani authorities for militants associated with the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).
Troops engaged the group after detecting its movement near the border opposite North Waziristan district, the statement said.
The confrontation continued for around 36 hours, during which 15 militants were killed in what ISPR described as a precise operation.
Weapons, ammunition recovered
Security forces later launched a follow-up sanitisation operation in the area and recovered a significant quantity of weapons and ammunition from the militants, according to ISPR.
The military said the recovery indicated that the group and its facilitators intended to carry out activities aimed at disrupting peace and security inside Pakistan.
A further sanitisation operation remained underway to locate and eliminate any other militants who may be present in the area.
Pakistan raises Afghan soil concerns
Referring to the attempted infiltration, ISPR reiterated Pakistan’s concerns over militant groups allegedly using Afghan territory to conduct cross-border attacks.
The military accused the Afghan Taliban government of failing to prevent Afghan soil from being used by terrorist organisations against Pakistan and said Kabul had not ensured effective border management or fulfilled its international obligations.
Pakistan has repeatedly urged Afghanistan’s Taliban authorities to take action against militants Islamabad says operate from sanctuaries across the border. Afghan authorities have previously rejected allegations that they allow their territory to be used for attacks against other countries.
Counterterrorism operations to continue
ISPR said Pakistan’s security forces remained committed to defending the country’s borders and would continue counterterrorism operations under the “Azm-e-Istehkam” framework.
The military said operations by security forces and law enforcement agencies would continue against foreign-sponsored and supported terrorism across the country.
The latest incident comes amid continuing security concerns in Pakistan’s northwestern border regions, where security forces have carried out repeated operations against militant groups in recent years.