Pakistani Military: 30 Armed Militants Killed While Crossing Border from Afghanistan

The Pakistani military announced that it had killed 30 armed militants attempting to cross the border from Afghanistan.

According to the Pakistani daily Dawn and other sources on July 4, the Pakistani military stated in an official announcement, "Over the past three days, we have killed 30 armed militants in the border area of North Waziristan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province, Pakistan." The military added, "These individuals belonged to Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) or its affiliated groups."

The Pakistani military also reported seizing large quantities of weapons, ammunition, and explosives, and claimed that the militants were receiving support from India, a long-standing adversary. The military further urged Afghan authorities to prevent foreign proxy forces from using Afghan territory to launch attacks against Pakistan.

Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also praised the security forces for thwarting the infiltration attempt. He accused India of inciting militant activities within Pakistan, and declared, "We are determined to completely eradicate all forms of terrorism from this land."

In the northwestern region of Pakistan near the Afghan border, numerous extremist armed groups are active, seeking to overthrow the Pakistani government and establish a state governed by Sharia (Islamic law).