Pakistani Security Forces Kill 37 Insurgents in Ongoing Operations

Pakistani security forces have killed 37 insurgents in a series of raids targeting militant hideouts in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, a former stronghold of the Pakistani Taliban, The Associated Press reported yesterday.

The military reported that a dozen militants were killed overnight in Tirah Valley, contributing to the total since August 20. Additionally, five insurgents were killed in operations across the restive southwest, linked to recent attacks in Balochistan.

The surge in military operations comes in response to a wave of violence that left over 50 people dead in Balochistan, where the outlawed Balochistan Liberation Army has claimed responsibility.

Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi indicated that the recent attacks aimed to disrupt the upcoming Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit in Islamabad in October, although he provided no evidence for this assertion. The ongoing conflict in Balochistan features various separatist groups seeking independence from the central government, further complicating the region’s security landscape.