Pakistan Army commando, six militants killed in gunfight in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province

Pakistan has regularly witnessed a series of terror attacks in recent months. File
| Photo Credit: AP

“A Pakistan Army commando and six militants were killed in a gunfight between security forces and terrorists during a search operation in the restive northwestern province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa,” sources have said.

The incident occurred on Saturday (November 16, 2024) in the Lur Maudan area in Tirah Valley of Khyber district bordering Afghanistan. A commando of the Pakistan Army was killed and another injured in the incident.

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At least six terrorists were gunned down by security forces during the operation. Sources said that heavy gunfire and explosions were heard from the area. The Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) has been active in the area, with several attacks targeting security forces.

The Pakistani government has repeatedly accused the TTP of operating from sanctuaries in Afghanistan. There has been an uptick in the incidents of terrorism in Pakistan since the Taliban took over the government in Kabul in 2021, dashing hopes in Islamabad that a friendly government in Afghanistan would help to tackle militancy.

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The TTP was set up as an umbrella group of several militant outfits in 2007. The Pakistani government has officially declared the banned organisation as “Fitna al-Khawarij”, a reference to a group in earlier Islamic history which was involved in violence.