By Pakistani security forces killed at least 10 militants during a raid on an insurgent hideout in the northwestern province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Monday, while in a separate incident, militants kidnapped seven police officers from a station in Bannu district.
The deadly shootout occurred in Tirah district during an hours-long operation, according to police official Azmat Khan, who identified the slain militants as members of the outlawed Lashkar-e-Islam group. Officials did not immediately report any casualties among security forces.
The same day, insurgents stormed a police station in Bannu district, abducting seven officers, district police chief Ziauddin Ahmed said. While no group immediately claimed responsibility, suspicion fell on the Pakistani Taliban, known as Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), which frequently targets security forces and maintains close ties with Afghanistan’s ruling Taliban.
The incidents underscore escalating militant violence across Pakistan, particularly attacks blamed on the TTP and separatist groups like the Baloch Liberation Army, which continues a low-intensity insurgency in southwestern Balochistan province.
The surge in attacks highlights growing security challenges in Pakistan’s border regions as militant groups exploit their connections with Afghanistan’s Taliban government.
