Islamabad — Pakistan reported Monday that its border security forces killed at least five insurgents who were attempting to cross over from Afghanistan.
The predawn encounter occurred after Pakistani troops detected the “movement of a group of khwarij” in the volatile South Waziristan border district and “effectively engaged” them to foil their infiltration attempt, according to a military statement.
The term “khwarij” in official Pakistani documents refers to the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), an outlawed organization waging deadly attacks within the country from its alleged sanctuaries in Afghanistan.
Separately, the military said an intelligence-driven operation in the nearby North Waziristan border district killed a key TTP commander.
The statement reiterated Islamabad’s call for the Taliban government in Kabul “to fulfill its obligations and deny the use of Afghan soil by khwarij” to stage acts of terrorism against Pakistan. It urged Taliban authorities to ensure “effective” management of the Afghan side of the nearly 2,600-kilometer border between the two countries.
Pakistani authorities say the TTP has found sanctuaries in Afghanistan and intensified cross-border attacks since the Islamist Taliban seized power in the neighboring country three years ago, killing hundreds of civilians and security forces.
The United Nations has labeled the TTP as “the largest terrorist group” on Afghan soil.
Taliban authorities in Kabul reject the charges, saying they are not allowing any foreign group, including TTP, to use Afghan soil to threaten neighboring countries.
…