When forces conducted “intelligence-based” raids on militant locations in Dera Ismail Khan and North Waziristan, which borders Afghanistan, a deadly violence broke out, according to a military statement.

The statement referred to the killed militants as “khwarij,” a term the government uses to describe members of the internationally known terrorist group Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan, or TTP.

According to local security sources, the soldier deaths happened during fighting in the Waziristan region.

It was impossible for independent sources to confirm the official claims regarding militant casualties. The TTP, a militant organization that frequently targets security forces and their facilities, remained silent regarding the reported clashes in the districts.

Pakistan maintains that the Taliban government in Afghanistan, which has not yet been officially recognized by any nation, assists TTP leaders and fighters in planning cross-border terrorism by providing them with sanctuaries in Afghanistan.

Islamabad’s relationship with de facto Afghan leaders in Kabul, who have repeatedly denied the existence of the TTP or any other foreign terrorist groups on their soil, has been strained as a result of the accusations.

At a weekly news conference on Friday, Pakistani Foreign Ministry spokesperson Shafqat Ali Khan stated, “The sanctuaries enjoyed by terrorists belonging to the TTP on Afghan territory remain one of the key issues besetting our relations.”
“We remain committed to Afghanistan and help them understand that unless this issue is resolved, the region’s long-term potential, bilateral cooperation, and the benefits it can provide for the two countries’ welfare will not be realized.”