Pakistan forces kill 22 militants in northwest clash, child killed near Afghan border

Pakistan’s military said on Friday that security forces killed 22 suspected militants during clashes in the country’s northwest earlier this week, while a 10-year-old child also died in the exchange of fire near the Afghan border.

According to a statement from the military’s media wing, a joint operation involving security forces and law enforcement agencies was carried out on Tuesday in Khyber district. The operation led to an intense exchange of fire in which the militants were killed.

The Khyber district, located along the Afghanistan border, has long experienced insurgent activity and cross-border tensions.

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Authorities confirmed that a 10-year-old child was killed during the firefight. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed grief over the death, describing it as a result of unprovoked firing by militants, according to a statement from his office.

Militant violence has increased in Pakistan in recent years, with many attacks claimed by Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, particularly in regions bordering Afghanistan.

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Earlier this year, Pakistan’s military conducted strikes inside Afghanistan following a series of deadly suicide bombings. The country’s defence minister described the campaign as open war.