RAWALPINDI: Security forces have killed seven terrorists during three operations in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the military’s media affairs wing said on Thursday.
According to a statement issued by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the terrorists belonging to “Indian proxy Fitna-al-Khawarij” were killed in operations conducted over two days, November 18 and 19.
Fitna-al-Khawarij is a term the state uses for terrorists belonging to the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP)
The ISPR said an intelligence-based operation (IBO) was carried out in KP’s Mohmand district on the reported presence of terrorists. “During the conduct of the operation, own troops effectively engaged the khawarij’s location and after an intense fire exchange, four khawarij were sent to hell.”
Another IBO was conducted in the Lakki Marwat district. In the ensuing fire exchange, “two khawarij were effectively neutralised by the security forces,” the ISPR said.
It added that during the third encounter in the Tank district, security forces killed one more terrorist.
“Sanitisation operations are being conducted to eliminate any other Indian sponsored kharji found in the area,” ISPR the statement said, adding: “Relentless counter-terrorism campaign under the vision of ‘Azm-i-Istehkam’ (as approved by the Federal Apex Committee on National Action Plan) by security forces and law enforcement agencies of Pakistan will continue at full pace to wipe out menace of foreign sponsored and supported terrorism from the country.”
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif hailed the security forces for the successful operations.
A statement posted on the PM’s official X account quoted the premier as saying: “We will continue the fight against terrorism until it is eliminated from the country. The entire nation, including me, is standing shoulder to shoulder with the armed forces in our unwavering resolve to protect our dear homeland.”
23 terrorists neutralised in KP operations: ISPR
The ISPR in a statement on Thursday confirmed that 23 terrorists belonging to Fitna al Khawarij were killed in two operations in KP’s Kurram district the day prior.
“On [the] reported presence of khawarij, a targeted operation was conducted by the security forces,” the statement read, without elaborating on the exact location.
“During the conduct of [the] operation, own troops effectively engaged the khawarij location and after an intense fire exchange, 12 khawarij were sent to hell,” it added.
The ISPR further said that in another IBO, 11 terrorists were killed “in [the] same general area”.
The ISPR’s latest statement detailing the three operations in KP comes two days after it reported the killing of 38 terrorists in four IBOs conducted over a span of three days.
Of these operations, one was conducted in the Kulachi area of Dera Ismail Khan district, during which ten terrorists, including kharji ringleader Alam Mehsud, were killed.
Another operation was carried out Datta Khel in the North Waziristan district, where troops killed five more terrorists.
The remaining two IBOs took place between in Bajaur and Bannu districts, during which 11 and 12 terrorists were killed, respectively.
Last week, the ISPR said at least 24 terrorists were killed by security forces in three separate engagements in KP and Balochistan.
Pakistan has been witnessing a surge in terror activities, particularly in KP and Balochistan. The spike in incidents follow the TTP ending a ceasefire with the government in November 2022 and vowing to attack security forces, police, and personnel of law enforcement agencies.
Last month, Islamabad-based think tank Centre for Research and Security Studies said that violence had surged in the country over the past three months due to a spike in militant attacks and intensified counter-terrorism operations.
