Security forces kill 13 terrorists in two IBOs in K-P

Security forces have killed 13 terrorists belonging to the proscribed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) group in two separate intelligence-based operations (IBOs) in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Kurram and Bannu districts, the military’s media wing said on Thursday.

According to a press release from the Inter-Services Public Relations, the engagements were carried out between Tuesday and Wednesday against the “Indian proxy Fitna al-Khwarij” — a designation for the TTP.

“On reported presence of khwarij, an intelligence based operation was conducted by the security forces in Bannu district. During the conduct of operation, own troops effectively engaged the khwarij location and after an intense fire exchange, eight khwarij were sent to hell,” the press release said, adding that a separate operation in Kurram led to the elimination of five more terrorists.

The ISPR said that sanitisation operations were being conducted to eliminate any other “Indian-sponsored kharji” found in the area as part of the “relentless counter terrorism campaign” under the Azm-e-Istehkam vision, adding that it would continue at full pace to wipe out the “menace of foreign sponsored and supported terrorism” from the country.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif commended the security forces for successfully conducting the operations, adding that the security forces were achieving major successes against terrorism under the Azm-e-Istehkam strategy.

“The entire nation stands shoulder to shoulder with Pakistan’s armed forces in this war against terrorism,” the prime minister said, reaffirming the government’s resolve to completely eliminate all forms of terrorism from the country.

Read More: 11 terrorists eliminated in two K-P IBOs

Last week, security forces had also eliminated 11 Indian proxy terrorists in two separate IBOs in the North Waziristan and Kurram districts. According to the ISPR, the IBOs were conducted following reports of the presence of TTP terrorists.

Conducive environment’ behind K-P terror surge: ISPR DG

Earlier this month, Director General Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry had said that terrorists found a “conducive environment” in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, which he linked to the province recording the highest number of attacks over the past year.

Addressing a wide-ranging media briefing at the General Headquarters in Rawalpindi, the chief military spokesperson said the state’s stance on eliminating terrorism was unequivocal and asserted that the menace would be crushed decisively through the use of force and without compromise.

He rejected narratives portraying Pakistan as a “powerless state”, blamed foreign-sponsored terrorist networks operating from Afghan soil, and outlined what he described as unprecedented intelligence-based operations as the state moves to dismantle terrorist threats once and for all.

Questioning why K-P continued to witness the highest number of attacks, he said terrorists had found a “conducive environment” in the province, adding: “A politically conducive environment is being provided for terrorism in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.”

Terrorism activities and IBOs in 2025

The ISPR chief presented a comprehensive review of terrorist activity during 2025, describing the year as historic and result-oriented in Pakistan’s counterterrorism campaign.

In the last year, he said, an extraordinary number of the IBOs were conducted across the country, reflecting both the scale of the threat and the state’s resolve to confront it. “In 2025, a complete harmony was achieved between the state of Pakistan and its people on the issue of terrorism.”

Providing statistics, Lt Gen Sharif said that in 2025, law enforcement agencies conducted 75,175 IBOs nationwide – an average of 206 operations every day. Of these, he added, 14,658 operations were carried out in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P), 58,778 in Balochistan, and 1,739 in other parts of the country.

Despite these operations, Pakistan witnessed 5,397 terrorist incidents during the year. K-P accounted for the highest number, with 3,811 incidents, followed by Balochistan with 1,557 incidents. Only 29 incidents were reported from the rest of the country. A total of 2,597 terrorists were killed during the year, Lt Gen Sharif said.