Pak claims to kill 50 militants near Afghan border

Islamabad [Pakistan], August 12 : Pakistan's army on Tuesday claimed to have killed 50 militants, including Baloch Liberation Army and Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan members, in a four-day operation near the Afghanistan border, specifically in Balochistan province, reported Khaama Press.

This region is crucial for Chinese infrastructure projects and has been a hotspot for insurgent activity. The Pakistani government is keen to secure resource-rich regions and stabilise its western frontier to support regional economic plans, including the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

The Pakistan Army said that it has killed at least 50 militants during a series of operations conducted over the past four days along the Durand Line with Afghanistan.

In a statement on Tuesday, the military said those killed included members of the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) and the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). Both groups are designated terrorist organisations in Pakistan and have been involved in frequent attacks on security forces.

According to the army, the operations mainly targeted militants in parts of Balochistan province where major mining projects are underway.

Balochistan is a resource-rich region with major mining projects underway, making it a key area for economic development. However, it has been plagued by insurgent activity threatening both security forces and critical infrastructure.

Neither the Balochistan Liberation Army nor the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan issued a statement responding to the claims, and independent verification of the casualty figures remains unavailable for Khaama Press.

Pakistan is grappling with a broad uptick in militancy, coinciding with the Taliban's 2021 return to power in neighboring Afghanistan.

Tensions between Pakistan's security forces and the TTP have intensified in recent years, particularly since the Taliban's return to power in Afghanistan in 2021. Islamabad accuses the Afghan Taliban of allowing TTP fighters to operate from Afghanistan soil and carry out cross-border attacks.

The BLA, an ethnic Baloch separatist group, also escalated its attacks in Balochistan, often targeting projects linked to Chinese investment under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

Pakistani authorities say militant activity in the province poses a significant threat to economic development, as per Khaama Press.

Security analysts note that the latest operations reflect Pakistan's growing urgency to secure resource-rich regions and stabilise its western frontier, as instability in these areas undermines both domestic security and regional economic plans.

Afghanistan has rejected the Durand Line, a border between Pakistan and Afghanistan, which was drawn by the British in the 19th century, as per Al Jazeera. The Taliban sees it as a divisive line between Pashtuns on both sides of the border.

Afghanistan has a complicated history with Pakistan. While Pakistan welcomed the Taliban in Kabul as a natural ally, the Taliban government is proving to be less cooperative than Pakistan had hoped. The current Taliban regime is trying to align itself with the nation's rhetoric as they are trying to form a 'government' as a metamorphosis from a fighting group. The regime is also trying to forge relations beyond heavy reliance on Pakistan, as per Al Jazeera.

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