Pakistan’s military has said that six of its soldiers, including a high-ranking officer, were killed on the evening of October 4 when a military convoy was attacked by Islamist militants in the country’s restive northwest.
The military identified the slain officer in an October 5 statement as Lieutenant-Colonel Muhammad Ali Shoukat. Six militants, whose affiliation was not named, were also killed in the clash that took place in North Waziristan, a tribal district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province near the Afghan border.
No group has claimed responsibility for the attack.
Search and rescue operations continue, according to the statement. A source within the district’s intelligence agency told RFE/RL’s Radio Mashaal on condition of anonymity that 24 soldiers were injured in "an intense exchange of fire."
North Waziristan has long been a hotbed of militants operating on both sides of the border. In recent years, civilians and security forces have been killed in targeted killings, and Pakistani officials say attacks have risen in recent months. Many have been claimed by the Pakistani Taliban (TTP).
After the Afghan Taliban returned to power following the withdrawal of U.S.-led forces from the country, many TTP members have reportedly found sanctuary in Afghanistan, using it to launch more frequent attacks on Pakistani troops and civilians.
SEE ALSO: 'No One Is Safe': Life Under The Rule Of The Pakistani TalibanThe unrest in North Waziristan and other districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province has led to mass protests by civilians who have called for greater security but also expressed concerns that civilians could be harassed or arrested during a military offensive.
The central government and the Pakistani military have said they are committed to ending terrorism in the region and will continue to target militants.
In 2014, the Pakistan military launched a two-year military operation in North Waziristan that it claimed resulted in militants being cleared from the region.
The offensive significantly disrupted the lives of civilians, millions of whom were left homeless. Many returned to the area in 2016, but the peace was broken when militant attacks resumed in 2018.