16 Security Members Killed In Militant Attacks In Pakistan

UNSPLASH/Ali Khokhar ILLUSTRATION

JAKARTA - A total of 16 security personnel were killed in a militant attack on Saturday (21/12) in South Waziristan, Pakistan.

Eight other personnel were injured in separate attacks on security force posts the day before.

The pursuit operation (of the perpetrators) is being carried out in the area, Deputy inspector of police Hidayat Ullah told Reuters on Sunday, December 22.

Pakistan's Tereek-e-Taliban (TTP), also known as the Pakistani Taliban, claimed responsibility for the attack.

35 security personnel were killed and 15 others injured in the attack, the group said in a WhatsApp channel broadcast. However, it did not say whether any of the fighters had died.

TTP has carried out more frequent attacks in recent months, mostly targeting members of the security forces.

The group that oversees various Sunni Islamic militant groups has long struggled in an attempt to overthrow the government and replace it with a strict government system led by Islam.

The group is separate from the Afghan Taliban movement, but pledged allegiance to the Islamist group that now rules Afghanistan following the withdrawal of US-led international forces in 2021.