Pakistan kills 24 Taliban, BLA militants in raids near Afghan border after suicide attack

The operations were launched in response to two militant attacks on Wednesday, including a suicide bombing in which an explosives-laden vehicle rammed into police officers and civilians.

Pakistani security forces killed 24 members of the outlawed Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and Baloch separatist groups in intelligence-based raids launched after two militant attacks, including a deadly suicide bombing, in the country’s northwest, the military said on Friday. A cache of weapons was also recovered during the operations.

The military said the operations were carried out over the previous day in response to two militant attacks on Wednesday. One involved a suicide bomber who rammed an explosives-laden vehicle into police officers and civilians, while another saw a little-known militant group attack a police station in Bannu, a district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province bordering Afghanistan, injuring several police officers.

President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, in separate statements, praised the security forces for what they described as a swift and effective response to the recent attacks in Bannu. Both leaders said eliminating terrorism remains the government’s top priority and vowed to bring those responsible for the attacks to justice.

Although separate from Afghanistan’s Taliban rulers, the TTP maintains close ideological and operational ties with them, according to Pakistani officials. Afghanistan’s government in Kabul has repeatedly rejected the allegation, although the TTP and the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) have frequently claimed responsibility for attacks in Pakistan.

Since last year, Pakistan says it has carried out multiple strikes targeting TTP hideouts along the Afghan border. Islamabad also alleges that the TTP and Baloch separatist groups receive support from India, a claim New Delhi has consistently denied.

The military said security forces would continue with Azm-e-Istehkam (“Resolve for Stability”), the nationwide counterterrorism campaign launched last year under Pakistan’s National Action Plan to dismantle militant networks across the country.

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Pakistani security forces killed 24 members of the outlawed Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and Baloch separatist groups in intelligence-based raids launched after two militant attacks, including a deadly suicide bombing, in the country’s northwest, the military said on Friday. A cache of weapons was also recovered during the operations.

The military said the operations were carried out over the previous day in response to two militant attacks on Wednesday. One involved a suicide bomber who rammed an explosives-laden vehicle into police officers and civilians, while another saw a little-known militant group attack a police station in Bannu, a district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province bordering Afghanistan, injuring several police officers.

President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, in separate statements, praised the security forces for what they described as a swift and effective response to the recent attacks in Bannu. Both leaders said eliminating terrorism remains the government’s top priority and vowed to bring those responsible for the attacks to justice.

Although separate from Afghanistan’s Taliban rulers, the TTP maintains close ideological and operational ties with them, according to Pakistani officials. Afghanistan’s government in Kabul has repeatedly rejected the allegation, although the TTP and the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) have frequently claimed responsibility for attacks in Pakistan.

Since last year, Pakistan says it has carried out multiple strikes targeting TTP hideouts along the Afghan border. Islamabad also alleges that the TTP and Baloch separatist groups receive support from India, a claim New Delhi has consistently denied.

The military said security forces would continue with Azm-e-Istehkam (“Resolve for Stability”), the nationwide counterterrorism campaign launched last year under Pakistan’s National Action Plan to dismantle militant networks across the country.