ISLAMABAD: Security forces killed 11 militants in separate operations in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan on Saturday, as authorities stepped up counterterrorism efforts amid a surge in militant attacks across Pakistan, security sources said.
In South Waziristan, security forces conducted an intelligence-based operation targeting hideouts of militants linked to Fitna al-Khawarij, according to security sources.
Five militants were killed during the operation, while their hideouts were targeted and destroyed, the sources said. A large cache of weapons and ammunition was also recovered.
In a separate operation in the Gorinder-Mashkel area of Balochistan, security forces targeted militants linked to Fitna al-Hindustan under Operation Radd-ul-Fitna 3.
Security sources said militants opened fire on a security checkpoint in the area before attempting to flee. Security forces responded and killed six militants as they tried to escape.
The latest operations come as Pakistan faces a continued rise in militant violence, particularly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan.
Pakistan recorded 225 militant attacks in September, the highest monthly total in 12 years, according to data compiled by the Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies. The figure was 13% higher than the 199 attacks recorded in August, marking the third consecutive monthly increase.
The September attacks killed 259 people and injured 242 others, while militant attacks and security operations combined resulted in at least 545 deaths and 261 injuries, according to PICSS data.
Balochistan recorded 131 militant attacks in September, the highest among the provinces, while Khyber Pakhtunkhwa reported 58, according to PICSS.
The increase in violence has also intensified tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan over cross-border militancy.
Islamabad has repeatedly urged Afghan authorities to prevent militant groups from using Afghan territory to launch attacks inside Pakistan.
Pakistan maintains that Afghan authorities have failed to take effective action against groups responsible for attacks in Pakistan, while Afghan Taliban authorities have rejected the allegations.
Despite several rounds of talks, the two sides have yet to resolve their differences, with alleged militant activity from Afghan soil remaining a major point of tension between Islamabad and Kabul.
