Pakistan's military said on Friday that security forces killed 22 suspected militants during clashes in the country's northwest earlier this week, while a 10-year-old child was also killed in crossfire near the Afghan border, according to Dawn.
In a statement, the military's media wing said “a joint military operation was conducted by security forces and law enforcement agencies” on Tuesday in Khyber district, resulting in an “intense exchange of fire” in which the militants were killed.
Dawn citing military officials said that the operation took place in Khyber district, a restive region bordering Afghanistan that has long seen insurgent activity and cross-border tensions.
Authorities said a 10-year-old child was killed during the firefight. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif “expressed sorrow at the martyrdom of a 10-year-old child in the unprovoked firing by the terrorists,” according to a statement from his office.
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Militant attacks in Pakistan have surged in recent years, many claimed by the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, particularly in regions bordering Afghanistan.
Islamabad has repeatedly accused Kabul of providing safe haven to militants since the Taliban's return to power in 2021, an allegation Afghan authorities have denied. The accusations have strained ties between the neighbours and contributed to frequent border clashes.
Earlier this year, Pakistan carried out a series of strikes inside Afghanistan following a wave of deadly suicide bombings, with the country's defence minister describing the campaign as “open war.”
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