Pakistani security forces kill 24 militants near Afghan border

ISLAMABAD

Pakistani security forces killed at least 24 militants during two separate operations in the northwestern province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa near the Afghan border, the military’s media wing said on Friday.

The militants were killed on Wednesday and Thursday in two intelligence-based operations in Orakzai and Khyber districts, according to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR).

Fourteen militants were killed in Orakzai district, while 10 others were killed in Khyber district, it said.

Pakistan has seen a renewed surge in militant violence in recent years, particularly in its western and southwestern regions.

On Thursday, the military said it had killed 216 suspected militants during a six-day operation across southwestern Balochistan province following last week’s deadly attacks.

The operations followed what the military described as coordinated assaults by militants at 12 locations across the province on Saturday.

The Balochistan Liberation Army, a militant group, claimed responsibility for the attacks.

According to ISPR, another 58 people — including 36 civilians and 22 law enforcement personnel — were killed in the clashes.

Internet and mobile services, as well as train traffic, were restored on Thursday. Train services, however, were suspended again on Friday.

Balochistan, a mineral-rich region and a key route for the multibillion-dollar China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, has long faced militancy, with separatist groups seeking what they describe as the “liberation” of the province.