Pakistan forces kill 11 militants in counterterrorism operations

Pakistani security forces have killed 11 militants in a series of intelligence-based counterterrorism operations in the provinces of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, security officials said.

According to Pakistani media, two militants were killed in an operation in Bannu District in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Authorities identified them as members of Fitna al Khawarij, the term used by the Pakistani government for the banned Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).

Five more militants belonging to the same group were killed in the Ladha area of South Waziristan, officials said.

Separately, security forces conducted an operation in the Sasool area of Khuzdar District in Balochistan. Four militants were killed with the support of quadcopters, according to the authorities.

The four were identified as members of Fitna al Hindustan, a designation Pakistani authorities use for Baloch militant groups.

Security forces also recovered weapons and ammunition during the operations.