Deadly Clashes in Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province

At least 12 terrorists and six soldiers were killed in two separate encounters in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. The incidents occurred in North and South Waziristan and involved fierce exchanges of fire. The Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) has been termed 'khariji' by the Pakistani government.

At least 12 terrorists and six soldiers have been killed in two fierce encounters in the restless Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan, according to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) on Friday.

These deadly incidents took place in the North and South Waziristan districts, resulting in the fatal shooting of 12 militants on Thursday and Friday, the ISPR's media wing reported.

The Pakistani government has officially labelled the outlawed Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) as 'Fitna al-Khawarij,' and a notification from the Interior Ministry mandates the use of the term 'khariji' (outlawed) for such terrorists.

On September 19, security forces in Spinwam, North Waziristan, detected a group of seven terrorists attempting to infiltrate from the Pakistan-Afghanistan border. Following an intense firefight, all seven militants were killed, and a significant cache of weapons, ammunition, and explosives was recovered.

In a separate incident in Ladha, South Waziristan, terrorists attacked a security post. The soldiers thwarted the intrusion, killing all five attackers. However, six soldiers lost their lives in the exchange, ISPR added.

Sanitisation operations are ongoing to identify and eliminate any remaining militants in the area.

(With inputs from agencies.)