Pakistan Kills 19 Militants in Three Northwest Operations

Pakistani security forces conducted intelligence-based operations in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, killing 19 militants affiliated with the India-backed group Fitna Al Khawarij over three separate engagements in Mohmand, North Waziristan, and Bannu districts. The militants, described as Pakistani Taliban or Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan by the military, were involved in several terrorist activities, and weapons and ammunition were seized from them. These operations followed a recent attack by the militants on a security camp in Bannu that resulted in the death of six soldiers, including Maj. Adnan Aslam, who was honored for his bravery. Pakistani officials, including President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, praised the security forces for their efforts and reaffirmed their commitment to eradicating terrorism linked to Indian sponsorship. The military is continuing sanitization operations to eliminate any remaining militants in the area. This surge in militant attacks in northwest Pakistan reflects ongoing instability involving groups allied with but distinct from the Afghan Taliban.