AMN / WEB DESK
At least 35 militants and 12 Pakistani soldiers were killed during a series of intelligence-based operations carried out in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa this week, the military confirmed on Saturday.
According to Pak Media the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said the first operation took place in Bajaur district, where troops engaged a suspected militant group. After several hours of heavy gunfire, 22 fighters were killed. A separate operation in South Waziristan left another 13 militants dead. Security officials said weapons and ammunition were recovered from the sites.
The army reported that 12 of its personnel lost their lives during the operations. It described them as having “fought gallantly” and said sanitisation efforts were continuing to trace remaining militants in the area.
Authorities alleged that some of those involved in recent attacks had links across the Afghan border, calling on Kabul to prevent its territory from being used against Pakistan.
President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif offered condolences to the families of the dead soldiers, while praising the security forces’ role. The interior minister also lauded the actions as a blow against insurgent networks.
The region has witnessed frequent militant activity despite ongoing counter-terrorism campaigns.