Army Chief Asim Munir (left) and a number of military officials attend the funeral of the martyred soldiers in Peshawar on Monday. Photo:X

Pakistan's security forces were conducting several raids in the country's volatile northwest, a former stronghold of the Pakistani Taliban, when shootouts ensued leaving seven soldiers and 23 militants dead, the army said on Monday.

The army statement said a large quantity of weapons, ammunition, and explosives was also recovered from the killed terrorists, who remained actively involved in numerous terrorist activities against the security forces as well as innocent civilians.

"Sanitisation operations are being carried out to eliminate any other terrorist found in the area. Security forces are determined to wipe out the menace of terrorism from the country and such sacrifices of our brave soldiers further strengthen our resolve,” said ISPR.

The first exchange of fire occurred overnight on the outskirts of Peshawar, the capital of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, killing six militants and two army officers who "embraced martyrdom,” according to a statement by Pakistan's military.

General Asim Munir (C) during the funeral of the martyred soldiers in Peshawar. ISPR X photo

A second shootout happened during another security operation on Monday in the district of Tank, leaving 10 militants dead, the statement said, adding that five soldiers and seven militants were also killed during a separate fire exchange in the district of Khyber.

They were identified as Naik Muhammad Ashfaq Butt (32; a resident of Kahuta district), Lance Naik Syed Danish Afkar (30; a resident of Poonch district), Sepoy Taimoor Malik (32; a resident of Layyah district), Sepoy Nadir Sagheer (22; a resident of Bagh district) and Sepoy Muahmmad Yasin (23; a resident of Khushab district).

Naik Ashfaq Butt served in the Pakistan Army for 10 years and has left behind a wife, daughter and two sons. Lance Naik Danish Afkar had been serving for six years and is survived by his parents, sister, brother and wife.

Sepoy Taimur Malik served with the army for 11 years and has left behind his parents, sister, brother, and wife. Sepoy Nader Sagheer served in the Pakistan Army for two years and is survived by his parents and siblings.

Sepoy Yasin served with the army for a year and a half and is survived by his parents and siblings.

The military provided no further details, but previous operations in the area targeted members of the Pakistani Taliban who have started regrouping in the northwestern region in recent years.

The Pakistani Taliban, known as Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan or TTP, are a separate group but allies of the Afghan Taliban, which seized power in Afghanistan in 2021 as the US and Nato troops were in the final stages of their pullout.

Many TTP leaders and fighters have found sanctuary in Afghanistan since then.

Agencies