PESHAWAR, Pakistan — In an overnight operation in Bajur, a district located in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, Pakistani security forces successfully eliminated nine insurgents during a gun battle, as reported by the military on Thursday.

Following the confrontation, troops confiscated a cache of weapons and ammunition found at the insurgents’ hideout. However, the military did not provide specific information regarding the identities of the deceased militants or their affiliations.

These types of operations generally aim at dismantling the Pakistani Taliban, known as Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), who have historically used Bajur as a stronghold. In recent years, this region has seen intense military campaigns that have either killed or driven away many TTP fighters.

Although the TTP operates independently, they maintain close ties with the Afghan Taliban, who regained control of Afghanistan in 2021. The rise of the Taliban in Afghanistan has reportedly increased the confidence of the Pakistani Taliban, leading to a surge in violent actions against Pakistani military forces.