Militants killed six Pakistani soldiers during a shootout in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, bordering Afghanistan, marking a significant incident amid rising unrest in the region. The confrontation occurred in the North Waziristan district as part of an overnight operation, according to a statement from the Pakistani army, which reported that six militants were also killed in the clash.
In a separate operation in Swat, two additional militants were neutralized, one of whom was linked to a recent attack on a convoy of foreign ambassadors.
On the same day, cellphone services were suspended in Islamabad due to ongoing lockdown measures aimed at preventing rallies in support of former Prime Minister Imran Khan, who is currently imprisoned on multiple charges. Authorities blocked the city’s entry and exit points with shipping containers, leading to tensions as Khan’s supporters attempted to mobilize.
Clashes erupted between Khan’s supporters and security forces near key government buildings, while the political climate remains unstable. In Balochistan province, a separate incident involved a blast that killed three security personnel during a routine patrol, though no group has claimed responsibility for the attack.