Pakistan said Wednesday that its border security forces killed a group of seven "terrorists," who were attempting to cross over from Afghanistan.
A military statement said the overnight infiltration occurred in North Waziristan, a volatile Pakistani district on the Afghan border. It stated that “the infiltrators were surrounded, effectively engaged, and, after an intense fire exchange,” all of them were killed.
The statement said that Pakistani security forces also “recovered a large quantity of weapons, ammunition, and explosives” from the slain militants.
The veracity of the official claims could not immediately be ascertained from independent sources.
The military said in its statement that Islamabad had consistently asked the Taliban government to “ensure effective border management” on the Afghan side, and it “is expected to fulfill its obligations” to prevent “acts of terrorism against Pakistan.”
No group claimed responsibility for Tuesday’s alleged border incident.
Pakistan blames fugitive commanders and fighters of an anti-state militant group known as the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan, or TTP, for orchestrating cross-border attacks from sanctuaries in Afghanistan.
Authorities say the violence has intensified and killed hundreds of Pakistanis, including security forces, since the Taliban reclaimed power in the neighboring country in 2021.
Last month, Pakistani fighter planes carried out strikes against TTP hideouts inside Afghanistan, raising bilateral military tensions.
The United States and the United Nations have designated TTP as a global terrorist organization.
The Taliban deny they are allowing anyone to threaten neighboring countries from their territory, claiming no foreign militants, including TTP, are based in Afghanistan.
