Pakistani forces claim 49 militants killed in coordinated northwest and southwest raids

Security forces in Pakistan, guided by intelligence tips, launched a series of raids on militant hideouts across the country's northwest and southwest, resulting in the death of 49 insurgents, the military announced. In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, which borders Afghanistan, twelve militants were killed in separate operations earlier this week. The southwestern province of Balochistan saw a further 37 militants eliminated during coordinated strikes.

The army described the casualties as members of “Fitna al-Khawarij” and “Fitna al-Hindustan,” terms used for the outlawed Pakistani Taliban and Baloch separatist groups. Islamabad has repeatedly accused the Pakistani Taliban and Baloch separatists of using Afghan territory as a base and receiving backing from India, accusations that both Afghanistan and India reject. The surge in such operations reflects ongoing efforts to curb rising insurgent violence in the region.