Pakistan says it killed 31 militants in the northwest as insurgents offer talks

Pakistan says it killed 31 militants in the northwest as insurgents offer talks World Sep 15, 2025 5:19 PM EDT

PESHAWAR, Pakistan (AP) — Pakistan’s security forces raided two separate militant hideouts in the country’s northwest, killing 31 insurgents, the military said Monday.

In a surprise move, the Pakistani Taliban under the group Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan, or TTP, offered to hold direct talks with the Pakistani government to address what they called the “root causes” of two decades of conflict. There was no immediate comment from the government.

The overnight raids took place in the districts of Bannu and Laki Marwat in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province bordering Afghanistan, according to a military statement. It described those killed as “Khwarij,” a term authorities use for Pakistani