Pakistan’s military said on Friday that security forces had killed nine militants in the Tank and Lakki Marwat districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, as clashes between Taliban and Pakistani border forces continued in Spin Boldak, Kandahar.

In a statement, Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said the militants were killed in two separate operations in the province bordering Afghanistan. It described the fighters as members of the “Fitna al-Khawarij” linked to India, a term the army uses to refer to Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). Weapons and ammunition were reportedly recovered.

The TTP has not yet commented.

According to ISPR, seven militants were killed in Tank and two in Lakki Marwat during exchanges of fire with Pakistani forces. The army accused them of involvement in targeted killings of civilians and other “terrorist activities” against security personnel.

The announcement came as heavy gunfire was exchanged between Taliban and Pakistani forces in Spin Boldak district. Both sides blamed each other for starting the confrontation.

Taliban officials in Kandahar said three civilians were killed and five others wounded in the border clashes.