Pakistan army says 34 militants killed in security operations

• Military conducts operations in Bannu, North Waziristan, South Waziristan districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province for 3 days
• Security officials say 45 - 50 militants killed attempting cross-border infiltration in Mohmand area near Afghan border

ISLAMABAD

Pakistan’s army said Thursday that at least 34 militants were killed during security operations in northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.

According to a statement from the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the army’s media wing, operations were conducted between Oct.13 and 15 in Bannu, North Waziristan and South Waziristan districts, which border Afghanistan.

Security forces killed 18 militants in the Spinwam area of North Waziristan during an intelligence-based operation, while eight others were killed in South Waziristan, said the statement.

In a separate encounter in Bannu district, security forces neutralized eight militants, it added.

Last week, the army said forces killed at least 30 militants in the Orakzai district who were allegedly involved in a recent attack on security personnel.

Security officials, meanwhile, claimed that security forces foiled a cross-border infiltration Thursday in the Mohmand district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province near the Afghan border, and killed 45 - 50 militants.

Officials added that several militants were injured as they attempted to cross the border and carry out terror attacks inside Pakistan.

Pakistan has witnessed a resurgence in militant violence in recent years. Authorities in Islamabad accuse the Afghan administration of failing to stop members of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) from using Afghan soil to stage attacks in Pakistan.

Afghanistan denies the accusations and contends it remains committed to preventing its territory from being used for cross-border attacks.