Pakistani security forces kill 7 militants near Afghanistan

PESHAWAR, Pakistan (AP) — Pakistani security forces acting on intelligence raided two militant hideouts in former Taliban strongholds in the country's northwest near Afghanistan on Tuesday, killing seven militants, the military said.

In a statement, the military said four militants were killed in the first raid in North Waziristan, which in recent years was the location for the headquarters of several local and foreign militant groups. Another three militants were killed in the former tribal region of Mohmand, the statement said.

The military said troops seized a cache of weapons from both militant hideouts.

It wasn't immediately clear what militant group was raided and the military provided no further details.

The Pakistan Taliban had its headquarters in North Waziristan up until 2017 when the military in a series of operations dismantled the insurgent group's network and killed, arrested or evicted scores of them.

The military has claimed it has cleared the region of militants but violence has continued. That has spread fear among residents in North Waziristan and nearby regions that the military might carry out more operations.