The military said senior officers were among those killed when troops clashed with rebels in two incidents.
Six Pakistani soldiers and at least eight rebels have been killed in two clashes in the volatile northwestern region, the military said.
Military media said Lt. Col. Muhammad Ali Showkat was among six soldiers killed along with six rebels during overnight fighting in the North Waziristan region of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province on Saturday.
“Pakistani security forces are determined to eliminate the threat of terrorism and the sacrifices of our brave soldiers further strengthen our resolve,” Inter-Services Public Relations said.
The army said it killed two militants in a separate operation in Swat, another province in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. One of them is said to have been involved in an attack this month on a convoy of foreign ambassadors stationed in the area.
The Ministry of the Interior reported that in 2023 alone, 930 people, mainly security personnel, lost their lives in “acts of terrorism” and about 2,000 were injured.
In March, seven security forces were killed when an armed group attacked a military base in North Waziristan using vehicles loaded with explosives and suicide vests.
North Waziristan has long served as a base for Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, also known as the Pakistani Taliban, and other groups. The military says it cleared the area of rebels several years ago. But as sporadic attacks continue, concerns are growing that the Pakistani Taliban is regrouping in the region.
The Pakistani Taliban is a separate group from the Afghan Taliban, but the two are allies.
The Afghan Taliban seized power in Afghanistan for a second time in 2021, when U.S. and other NATO forces were in the final stages of their withdrawal from the country.
Since then, the Pakistani Taliban has intensified attacks on security forces, especially in the northwestern region.
