Pakistan’s security forces launched operations at two different militant hideouts in the country’s troubled northwest region on Saturday, leading to armed clashes. The confrontations resulted in the deaths of at least two soldiers and nine militants, according to a statement from the military.
The operations were carried out in the districts of Mohmand and Dera Ismail Khan, located in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, which shares a border with Afghanistan. Local police confirmed that the insurgents involved were members of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).
The TTP, though banned, is an ally of the Afghan Taliban. They gained significant influence in August 2021 when the Afghan Taliban took control of Afghanistan, following the withdrawal of US and NATO forces after a two-decade presence. Many TTP leaders, as well as their fighters, have found refuge in Afghanistan, especially after the Taliban’s ascension, which has also emboldened the Pakistani Taliban.
Another incident on the same day saw insurgents carry out an ambush on security forces in Pakistan’s Kurram district, which also borders Afghanistan. While local police acknowledged the attack, they have yet to confirm if there were any casualties among the troops.
In Kurram, Pakistan’s military has been engaged in ongoing operations amid years of sectarian violence between Sunni and Shiite populations. The region has seen many deadly incidents between heavily armed groups, thus worsening the local tensions.
Since November, the area has been cut off due to the blocking of key roads by authorities in response to the sectarian clashes, leading to critical shortages in medical supplies and food. This blockade has intensified the humanitarian crisis in the region.
Moreover, on Saturday, a bomb detonated outside a mosque in Peshawar, another city in the northwest, resulting in the death of a cleric, Mufti Shakir. Local police reported the incident, though the individuals or groups responsible for the attack remain unidentified as investigations continue.
