Shootout in northwest Pakistan kills 7 soldiers, 5 militants

By MUNIR AHMED
Associated Press

ISLAMABAD (AP) — Pakistan’s military says its security forces have raided a militant hideout in a former northwestern tribal region bordering Afghanistan, triggering a shootout that killed seven soldiers and five militants. The Pakistani Taliban released a statement claiming responsibility for the incident and saying they ambushed the soldiers. Wednesday’s military statement said the overnight raid took place in the district of South Waziristan in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. It provided no further details and only said a search operation was still in progress. The region served as a headquarters for local and foreign militants until 2017 when the army said it cleared the region of insurgents following several operations.