More Afghans Joining Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, Says Pakistan Army

Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, Director General of the Inter-Services Public Relations, announced that over the past month, 90 militants have been killed in military operations.

The Pakistani official also claimed that an increasing number of Afghan citizens are joining the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).

On Thursday, during a press conference in Islamabad, Chaudhry emphasised that the fight against terrorism will continue until the last extremist has been eradicated.

He stated that in the past eight months, the military has conducted 32,173 intelligence-based operations against "terrorists," adding that only in the past month, 4,000 operations were organised against militants.

The military official reported that the army has been conducting 130 daily operations against terrorists over these eight months, resulting in the deaths of 193 soldiers.

Referencing the increased logistical and training support for terrorist groups in Afghanistan following the Taliban's rise to power, Chaudhry said that Taliban officials should not prioritise "terrorists" over the Pakistani government. He also warned that terrorist groups have gained access to weapons left behind by the US in Afghanistan.

He emphasised that Pakistan and the Afghan Taliban are engaged in dialogue and said that attempts to create division between the brotherly nations of Pakistan and Afghanistan will not succeed. He also highlighted Pakistan's long standing support for Afghanistan during challenging times.

In recent months, the Pakistan army has ramped up its operations against militants in border regions with Afghanistan. Pakistani officials claim that many deadly attacks in the country are planned by the TTP from Afghan soil.

Last week, Pakistan's Foreign Ministry spokesperson urged the Afghan Taliban to hand over TTP members to the Pakistani government. However, Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid, in an interview with a Pakistani media outlet, stressed that the TTP is an internal matter for Pakistan and is unrelated to the Afghan Taliban.