Five Pakistani soldiers, including a major, have been killed during an operation against terrorists in Balochistan's Barkhan district. At least seven terrorists were also killed in the operation.
Pakistani security forces conducted coordinated ground and aerial strikes against militant positions along the border with Afghanistan, targeting posts used by the Afghan Taliban and Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).
Multiple terror attacks in Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province during Ramazan have resulted in the deaths of security personnel, while security forces in Balochistan have killed several rebels in response.
Pakistan's military operation against the Afghan Taliban has reportedly resulted in significant casualties and destruction of infrastructure along the border, prompting calls for de-escalation from the UN.
A Pakistan minister refuted social media reports about the conclusion of the operation against Afghan Taliban, stating that the operation is continuing with full intensity.
Pakistan's Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has warned that Islamabad will enter into an 'open war' with Kabul if the ongoing peace talks in Istanbul fail, TOLO News reported.
Pakistan responded to what it called 'unprovoked' attacks by Afghan forces in border areas, destroying several Afghan border posts, training camps, and terrorist hideouts, security sources said on Sunday.
Pakistan's restive Balochistan province has come to a standstill and has been facing unrest with several political and nationalist parties launching an indefinite blockade of all national highways from Wednesday against alleged rigging of the election results.
The army said that three terrorists were "neutralised while entering the base while the remaining three terrorists have been cornered/isolated due to timely and effective response by the troops".
According to the Inter-Services Public Relations, the media wing of the army, the terrorists attacked the security post in Dera Ismail Khan's Daraban area bordering the South Waziristan tribal district in the early morning hours.
"The suspected militant was coming from Wana carrying 37 bombs," unidentified sources were quoted as saying by the Dawn daily. The terror suspect was handed over to agencies concerned for interrogation.
A powerful 5.9-magnitude earthquake jolted a mountainous part of Pakistan's Balochistan province early on Thursday, resulting in collapse of several houses that left at least 22 people dead and over 300 others injured, officials said.
Sharif also thanked Modi for visiting Lahore last week.
Seeking "divine intervention", staff of Pakistan's national carrier PIA sacrificed a black goat at the airport tarmac in Islamabad before an ATR-42 aircraft took off nearly a week after the French-built turboprop planes were grounded following a crash that killed 47 people.
Sharif also expressed optimism that India-Pakistan ties would improve in the days ahead.
