After two attacks in Balochistan.. Pakistan warns the Taliban against harboring militants

Pakistan’s army chief, General Asim Munir, has warned the Afghan Taliban of an “effective response” if the group fails to stop harboring militants plotting cross-border attacks from Afghanistan.

The stern remarks, made by the army chief on Friday, came after two attacks by militants this week that resulted in deaths. 12 Pakistani soldiers were killed in Balochistan province southwest of the country on the border with Afghanistan.

and the Pakistan Taliban, a separate armed group that is also an ally of the Afghan Talibanand ISIS A presence in Balochistan, as well as a group of other separatist groups fighting for independence from Islamabad.

On Thursday, local officials and the military said attackers attacked Pakistani soldiers who were conducting an operation in the restive southwestern province of Balochistan, killing three soldiers and two militants.

The army said in a statement that the exchange of fire took place on Wednesday in Balochistan region In Sui, where the country’s main natural gas pipelines are located. It is not clear who was behind the attack, but suspicion is likely to fall on local separatist groups that have been accused of carrying out such previous attacks.

Local officials said that the process of arresting the militants, who fled after the exchange of fire, was under way.

The violence in Soi came hours after five gunmen attacked a security post in Zob district of Balochistan, killing nine soldiers. The army said these five attackers were killed.

Balochistan has been the scene of a low-level insurgency by small separatist groups for more than two decades. Baloch nationalists initially wanted a share of the provinces’ resources, but later started a rebellion for independence.