Pakistan kills 30 Islamist militants near Afghan border, army says

PHOTO CAPTION: A soldier stands guard outside the Kitton outpost along the border fence on the border with Afghanistan in North Waziristan, Pakistan October 18, 2017. REUTERS/Caren Firouz

ISLAMABAD (Reuters) -     Pakistan's army said on Tuesday it killed 30 Islamist militants in South Waziristan near the border with Afghanistan during an operation to clear the tribal district of the militants, who operate in both countries.

The lawless tribal region, long a safe haven for Islamist militants, is off limits to independent journalists and human rights groups, making it difficult to verify any information independently.    

The militants have been waging a war against the Pakistani state in a bid to overthrow government and replace it with a strict Shariah-run Islamic system of governance.  

The army, in its statement, didn't provide further details about the militants and what groups they might belong to. 

The militants have accelerated their attacks since they revoked a ceasefire with the government late in 2022, a campaign that has seen some big hits in recent months, targeting only the military and its bases. 

Islamabad says the militants run training camps in Afghanistan and plan attacks inside Pakistan, a charge Kabul denies. 

 (Reporting by Asif Shahzad, Editing by William Maclean and Bernadette Baum)