Pakistan: Security Forces Kill 11 Militants, Lose 2 Soldiers in Raids

In a series of violent encounters in northwestern Pakistan, security forces raided militant hideouts, resulting in the deaths of at least two soldiers and nine members of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), which has gained strength following the Taliban's return to power in Afghanistan. The operations took place in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's Mohmand and Dera Ismail Khan districts, amid a backdrop of escalating violence and humanitarian crises in the region, particularly in Kurram district, which has seen prolonged sectarian conflict. Additionally, an ambush on security forces in Kurram was reported, although casualty figures remain unconfirmed. The TTP, banned in Pakistan, has been able to establish sanctuaries across the border in Afghanistan, complicating the security situation further. The ongoing violence is part of a broader trend that has escalated since a truce between the group and the Pakistani state collapsed in late 2022. A separate incident involving a suicide blast at a Frontier Corps headquarters in the Tank district resulted in one soldier's death and numerous militant casualties, highlighting the increasing attacks on security forces in the region.