Pakistan army kills 30 militants trying to cross from Afghanistan

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Islamabad has routinely blamed its western neighbour Afghanistan for allowing militant groups to operate on its soil.

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION: AFP

ISLAMABAD - Pakistan’s army said on July 4 it had killed 30 militants attempting to cross the border from Afghanistan over the last three days, after a suicide attack killed 16 soldiers in the same region.

The militants belonged to the Pakistan Taliban or its affiliated groups, the military said in a statement accusing archfoe India of backing them.

“The security forces demonstrated exceptional professionalism, vigilance preparedness, and prevented a potential catastrophe,” it said.

“A large quantity of weapons, ammunition and explosives was also recovered,” the statement added.

The killings took place in the border district of North Waziristan, where last week a faction of the Pakistan Taliban claimed a

suicide blast on the military

Islamabad has routinely blamed its western neighbour Afghanistan for allowing militant groups to operate on its soil, but in recent months it has also ramped up accusations against India to its east for backing the groups.

Both neighbours deny any involvement.

Nuclear-armed India and Pakistan in May

traded the worst violence in decades

It was triggered by New Delhi’s accusation that Islamabad supported gunmen

killing 26 people on April 22

Islamabad has denied any involvement.

Since their independence from British rule, India and Pakistan have frequently fought over Kashmir, a divided region claimed in full by both sides.

Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz