Chinese, Pakistani troops jointly patrol border connecting PoK with Xinjiang

Chinese state media People’s Daily confirmed the development by adding number of pictures of both the troops. This is the first time China-Pakistan began joint patrols in recent years though Chinese troops have been conducting patrols in the area since 2014.

Pic Courtesy - People's Daily

The frontier defence regiment of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) in Xinjiang and the border police force from Pakistan, carried out a joint patrol along the China-Pakistan border.

Pic Courtesy - People's Daily

Chinese and Pakistani troops conducted the patrol amid reports that over 100 Uighurs have fled the restive region to join Islamic State.

Pic Courtesy - People's Daily

Though there is no write-up to provide details of the joint patrolling and what prompted both the countries to launch it, it coincides with reports of over 100 Uyghur Muslims sneaking out of Xinjiang to join ISIS.

Pic Courtesy - People's Daily

Uighurs are a predominantly Muslim Turkic-speaking ethnic group who hail from Xinjiang and China in the past has stated that a number of militants from the community who fought in Syria were caught after their return to cause violent attacks in the volatile province, which bore the brunt of the militancy reportedly carried out by the ETIM.

(Pic courtesy - People's Daily)