PESHAWAR, Pakistan — On Tuesday, Pakistani military officials announced the elimination of eight militants during two operations aimed at militant strongholds in the turbulent northwest region that borders Afghanistan. These actions took place on Monday within the Tank and Tirah Valley areas in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, as detailed in a military statement.

The military referred to the deceased militants as “Khwarij,” a term commonly employed by the government to denote the Pakistani Taliban. However, no additional information regarding the identities of the militants or the specifics of the raids was provided.

The Pakistani Taliban, officially recognized as Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), functions as an affiliate to the Afghan Taliban but operates as an independent entity. Since the Afghan Taliban regained control over Afghanistan in 2021, the TTP has intensified its violent campaigns in the surrounding areas. Within Pakistan, this group is designated as a terrorist organization, and its activities have reportedly gained momentum following the Taliban’s resurgence in Afghanistan.