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In the northwest region of Pakistan, near the Afghanistan border, the military has reported the loss of a Pakistani soldier during an overnight encounter with militants. A military statement released late on Saturday disclosed that the skirmish occurred in Mir Ali, a significant town located in North Waziristan, which has historically served as a haven for militants. The military had been conducting operations in search of terrorists in this area.
This incident follows Pakistan’s recent closure of the crucial Torkham border crossing in the northwest, prompted by a skirmish between border guards from both sides earlier in the week. On the same day, clashes near the border in the northwestern Chitral district resulted in the deaths of four Pakistani soldiers and 12 militants. As of Sunday, a significant number of trucks loaded with goods, including perishable items like vegetables and fruits, remained queued on both sides of the Torkham border, awaiting its reopening. Torkham had experienced previous conflicts in February, leading to its closure for several days as both sides accused each other of attempting to establish new posts along the border.
Ziaul Haq Sarhadi, a senior official from the Pakistan-Afghanistan Joint Chamber of Commerce and Industry, emphasized the urgency of resolving the border issue, as traders faced substantial financial losses due to the closure of Torkham. Pakistani authorities reported ongoing discussions with the Afghan interim government regarding the Torkham border clash and the increasing incidence of cross-border militant attacks.
Caretaker Foreign Minister Jalil Abbas Jilani expressed deep concern over the incident, emphasizing that Pakistan takes the rise in terrorism seriously, and called upon Afghanistan to prevent attacks originating from its territory. The Pakistani Taliban, known as Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan or TTP, have escalated their attacks on Pakistani security forces in recent months. While distinct from the Afghan Taliban, they are considered their allies.
On Sunday, the military announced that a shootout in Ursoon, Chitral, the day before had resulted in the deaths of seven militants and left another six critically injured. Efforts were underway to clear the area of any remaining militants through a process referred to as “sanitization.”
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SOURCE
https://apnews.com/article/pakistan-soldier-militants-shootout-d4fa1a30275ca146f97347d7ab0b7bb8