Security forces kill eight terrorists Pak-Afghan border

RAWALPINDI: Security forces killed eight terrorists during an operation along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border in North Waziristan district, the military’s media wing said on Thursday.

According to a statement issued by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), troops detected the movement of a group of militants near the border on April 1 and engaged them in a “precise and effective” operation.

The ISPR described the militants as belonging to “Fitna al Khwarij”, which it said were operating as proxies of India.

Weapons and ammunition were recovered from those killed, the statement added.

The ISPR also accused the Afghan Taliban, saying the incident reflected what it called a failure of the Afghan Taliban to ensure effective border management and to prevent the use of Afghan territory for attacks inside Pakistan.

Islamabad has repeatedly urged Afghan authorities to deny militant groups safe haven on their soil and prevent cross-border infiltration.

Security forces are conducting a clearance operation in the area to eliminate any remaining militants, the statement said.

The ISPR said that security forces said they remain committed to defending the country’s borders and are continuing clearance operations in the area, as part of an ongoing counter-terrorism campaign under “Azm-e-Istehkam” to eliminate foreign-backed militants.