PESHAWAR, Pakistan — In a series of confrontations prompted by intelligence reports, Pakistani security personnel engaged in two significant shootouts with militants in the turbulent northwest region near the Afghan border, resulting in the deaths of six insurgents, according to the military’s announcement on Monday.

The first incident occurred during an overnight operation in North Waziristan, a district located within Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, where forces reportedly eliminated a militant commander. Following this, a second operation took place in the neighboring South Waziristan district, where five additional members of the Pakistani Taliban were killed while attempting to cross into Pakistan from Afghanistan. The military’s statement also indicated that three other militants sustained injuries during this confrontation.

Furthermore, the military emphasized that Pakistan has repeatedly urged the Afghan Taliban-led government to implement better border security measures. Islamabad consistently expresses concern that Afghan authorities are neglecting their duty to control militant activities that occur close to the border, a statement that is firmly rejected by Kabul.

Pakistan has been experiencing a spike in violent incidents predominantly attributed to the Pakistani Taliban, known locally as Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). Although this group is distinct from the Afghan Taliban, they share a cooperative relationship, particularly since the Afghan Taliban regained control of Afghanistan in 2021. As a result, numerous TTP leaders and fighters have reportedly sought refuge across the border in Afghanistan since that time.