Pakistan accused militants of using Afghan soil for attacks, alleged Indian support for terrorists, which India denies
Peshawar
Pakistani security forces clashed with militants near the Afghan border over the past two days, killing 12 soldiers and 35 militants, the military said on Saturday. The operations targeted two hideouts of the Pakistani Taliban, also called Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), in Bajaur and South Waziristan districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.
In the first raid in Bajaur, 22 militants were killed. A separate operation in South Waziristan resulted in 13 militants and 12 soldiers losing their lives. The military described the soldiers as having “fought gallantly” and called them martyrs. The slain militants were labeled as “Khwarij,” a term used by Pakistan for TTP members.
The Pakistani military said the militants used Afghan territory to launch attacks inside Pakistan and urged the Taliban government in Kabul to stop its soil from being used for terrorism. It also alleged, without providing evidence, that India backed the Pakistani Taliban. Pakistan has previously accused India of supporting militants and separatists, charges New Delhi denies.
The TTP has grown stronger since the Afghan Taliban took power in Kabul in 2021, with many leaders and fighters finding sanctuary across the border. Pakistan has faced rising militant attacks in recent years, most claimed by the TTP, a group separate from but allied with the Afghan Taliban.
There was no immediate response from the Taliban in Kabul or from India regarding the clashes. Pakistani authorities continue to conduct counterterrorism operations to curb the resurgence of militant groups along the border.
