At least 9 killed in clash between Pakistani Taliban and military
Islamabad, Sep 6 (EFE).- At least five soldiers of the Pakistani military and four insurgents of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) were killed overnight in an exchange of fire in northwestern Pakistan, despite a ceasefire announced by the Pakistan offshoot of the Taliban, officials said on Tuesday.
The clash took place in the city of Boyya in the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province in an anti-terrorist operation carried out on Monday night by Pakistani security forces based on intelligence reports, the military’s media wing Inter-Services Public Relations said in a statement.
“During the conduct of the operation, intense fire exchange took place between own troops and terrorists,” the ISPR said in a statement issued on Tuesday, adding that four terrorists were killed.
The statement claimed that one of the militants killed in the operation was TTP commander Tufail, the mastermind behind major attacks in KPK’s North Waziristan district.
The ISPR confirmed that five soldiers including a captain were also killed in the shootout
Meanwhile TTP spokesperson Mohammad Khurasani said that the army “raided a center of the Mujahideen in Boyya area which was responded to effectively.
He claimed that only two TTP fighters were killed in the clash, rejecting the military version of events.
The TTP, an umbrella of various tribal armed groups, has fought for years to overthrow the Islamabad government and impose their brand of Sharia law in the country.
However, after the Afghan Taliban seized power in Kabul last year, they mediated in peace talks between Islamabad and TTP in late 2021 to try and put an end to the conflict, with the two sides agreeing to a ceasefire that has remained fragile since then.
Khurasani has repeatedly insisted that the TTP backs talks to ensure the success of the peace profess and would only take retaliatory action if its members or commanders were attacked. EFE
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