2025-03-23T22:34:02+00:00
font
Enable Reading Mode
A- A A+
Shafaq News/ Pakistan’s military said its forces killed 16 armed fighters in an overnight clash near the Afghan border, as Islamabad continues to push Afghanistan’s Taliban government to curb cross-border militant activity.
The army said the exchange of fire took place between March 22 and 23 in North Waziristan district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, a region long plagued by militancy.
“Own troops effectively engaged and thwarted their attempt to infiltrate,” the military said in a statement on Sunday, reaffirming its commitment to securing Pakistan’s borders and eliminating terrorism.
The incident coincided with Pakistan’s Special Representative for Afghanistan, Sadiq Khan visit to Kabul for talks on bilateral and economic issues, according to Pakistan’s embassy in the Afghan capital.
Islamabad has repeatedly accused Afghanistan’s Taliban rulers of failing to rein in the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), a group that has waged a deadly insurgency against Pakistani security forces since 2007.
While the TTP is a distinct organization, it maintains ties with the Afghan Taliban, who returned to power in August 2021 following the withdrawal of US and NATO forces.
Pakistan’s security forces have stepped up operations against militants recently. Earlier this month, troops raided two suspected hideouts in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Mohmand and Dera Ismail Khan districts.
Officials say attacks by armed groups have surged, with more than 500 incidents reported in 2024 alone, resulting in over 1,500 deaths among civilians and security personnel.
Pakistan has accused Afghan citizens of involvement in attacks and claims the TTP enjoys safe haven in Afghanistan—allegations Kabul has consistently denied.