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Pakistan says 13 militants killed in counterterrorism operations in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

By The South Asia Times

PESHAWAR, Pakistan - Security forces in Pakistan killed 13 militants in a series of intelligence-based operations conducted across the northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, the military said on Sunday.

According to a statement issued by Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the media wing of the Pakistan Army, the operations were carried out on March 6 and 7 as part of an ongoing counterterrorism campaign.

In one operation in Bajaur District, security forces targeted a suspected militant hideout, killing five militants after an intense exchange of fire.

Two other encounters took place in Bannu District and Dera Ismail Khan District, where three militants were killed. In separate engagements in Khyber District and South Waziristan District, troops killed five additional militants, the military said.

Weapons and ammunition were recovered from the militants, who were allegedly involved in multiple attacks in the region.

The military said follow-up “sanitization operations” are underway to clear the areas of any remaining militants. It added that the operations are part of Pakistan’s broader counterterrorism effort under the Azm-e-Istehkam initiative.

Terrorist attacks have increased in recent years in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan provinces, with the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan frequently targeting security forces and civilians. Pakistan has accused the Afghan Taliban of allowing militants to operate from Afghanistan, a claim authorities in Kabul deny.