Khyber Pakhtunkhwa clashes; 13 militants, including two Afghans, reported killed

Pakistani security sources and media reported that at least 13 militants were killed in an operation by the country’s security forces in the Dara Adamkhel area of ​​Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province; two Afghans were also among the dead.

According to security officials who did not want to be named, the two men were identified as Zeenatullah and Lungin, and their bodies were said to have been identified among the dead. The identities of the others are still being investigated.

According to a report by the Dawn newspaper, the killed individuals were attributed to Tariq Gaydar’s group affiliated with the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). The report also said that five militants were killed on Friday and eight others on Saturday during the clashes.

Security sources said the operation was launched after receiving information about the presence of an armed group in the area and is ongoing. They said security forces have cordoned off the area and the fighting will continue until the “area is completely cleared.”
Among the names released were Dawood from Zora Kalai, Hamza, Qari Zeenatullah and Qari Lungin.

The Tariq Gaydar group, named after a former militant commander in the Khyber region, has been active in parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in recent years and has claimed responsibility for several attacks.

The area, which is located near Peshawar and Kohat, has seen an increase in reported attacks and military operations by Pakistani forces in recent days.

Islamabad officials have repeatedly claimed in recent years that the activity of armed groups inside Pakistan has increased after the Afghan Taliban returned to power in 2021. In contrast, the Afghan government has denied these accusations and has consistently emphasized that it will not allow Afghan soil to be used against other countries.

Report by Shahbanu Noori