ISLAMABAD — Pakistan’s army said Friday, Nov. 13, that it killed 74 armed fighters in raids in provinces along the border with Afghanistan, Al Jazeera reported. The figures come from the military’s news division and have not been independently confirmed.
Related: Indonesia’s Vice President Gibran Offers to Resign Over Diploma Ruling.
What the army reported
The military said 31 fighters were killed in the southwestern province of Balochistan since Nov. 3, and that weapons, explosives and ammunition were recovered. It said another 35 were killed over the past two days in raids on Mir Ali and eight in Orakzai, both in the northern province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. This is an unconfirmed claim from a single official source.
The army did not report its own losses in the account carried by Al Jazeera.
Who the fighters are
Balochistan is the site of an armed rebellion by the Balochistan Liberation Army, which seeks independence for the region.[1]
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is where the Pakistan Taliban, known as the TTP, and several other armed groups are based. The TTP is separate from the Afghan Taliban, which took power in 2021, but allied with it.[1]
The dispute with neighbors
Islamabad accuses India and Afghanistan of backing the armed groups. Delhi and Kabul deny involvement.[1]
President Asif Ali Zardari said the operations “reflect national resolve and professional capabilities” and should continue, Al Jazeera reported.
Pakistani authorities say the TTP operates from the Afghan side of the border and is behind a rise in attacks in recent years. The issue has strained ties between Islamabad and Kabul and led to armed clashes that killed civilians.[1]
A deadly ambush
At least 11 police officers were killed and 12 wounded on Thursday when fighters ambushed a convoy in the Kohat district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, authorities said. Officials blamed the TTP.[1]
More coverage is on our Asia-Pacific page and the Warfare page.
Sources
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