Security forces eliminate 34 terrorits in K-P, Balochistan IBO’s: ISPR

Security forces have killed 34 terrorists belonging to the banned Fitna Al Khwarij and Fitna Al Hindustan militant groups in separate intelligence-based operations (IBO) in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, the military’s media wing said on Wednesday.

In a statement, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said security forces carried out a series of “high-tempo, intelligence-driven operations” as part of a counterterrorism campaign aimed at eliminating the “Indian proxies”.

The state uses the term Fitna Al Khwarij for terrorists affiliated with the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan, while Fitna Al Hindustan refers to banned outfits operating in Balochistan.

Read: Security forces kill 22 more terrorists in Balochistan as three-day toll hits 177

According to the statement, 26 terrorists belonging to Fitna Al Khwarij were killed in four separate engagements in K-P, while eight terrorists linked to Fitna Al Hindustan were killed during an operation in Balochistan on Tuesday.

The ISPR said the movement of a group of terrorists attempting to infiltrate through the Pakistan-Afghanistan border in the general area of Hassan Khel, North Waziristan district, was detected by security forces. Troops engaged the group, killing one terrorist, adding that the slain member was identified as an Afghan national.

In a separate IBO in Lakki Marwat district, three terrorists were killed after an intense exchange of fire, the statement said.

Simultaneously, security forces conducted two engagements in the general area of Narmi Khel in Bannu district, where 10 terrorists were killed. In another operation in the Mir Ali area of North Waziristan, 12 terrorists were eliminated based on precise intelligence, the ISPR added.

During a fifth engagement in the Sambaza area of Zhob district, eight terrorists belonging to Fitna Al Hindustan were killed after a heavy exchange of fire.

“Weapons and ammunition were also recovered from Indian-sponsored killed khwarij and terrorists, who remained actively involved in numerous terrorist activities in the area,” it said.

The ISPR said sanitisation operations were under way to eliminate any remaining terrorists. It reiterated that security forces, along with law enforcement agencies, would continue operations under the vision of “Azm-i-Istehkam”, approved by the Federal Apex Committee on the National Action Plan, to eradicate foreign-sponsored terrorism from the country.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif paid tribute to the security forces for their successful operations.

“With professional excellence and strategic precision, the security forces eliminated 26 terrorists of Fitna al-Khawarij in K-P and eight terrorists of Fitna al-Hindustan in Balochistan during multiple operations,” he said.

He said that the armed forces of Pakistan continued to achieve decisive successes against terrorist organisations.

“Under the vision of Azm-e-Istehkam, terrorism will soon be eradicated from the country,” the prime minister said, adding that the government remained firmly resolved to ensure the complete elimination of terrorism from the nation.

President Asif Ali Zardari lauds security forces for successful operations against Fitna al-Hindustan and Fitna al-Khawarij terrorists along northern and southern borders.

“The elimination of 34 terrorists and the recovery of weapons during the operations reflect the high level of professionalism of the security forces,” the President said.

He added that security forces and law enforcement agencies would continue robust measures under the vision of Azm-e-Istehkam to eradicate terrorism.

“No compromise should be made in operations against terrorists receiving external support, in order to safeguard national security and protect the public,” he said.

Terrorism has significantly increased in Pakistan, particularly in K-P and Balochistan, in recent days. The rise in terrorist activity has led to growing concerns over the security situation in these regions.

In response, security forces have been conducting intensive operations to counter the threat, targeting terrorist groups infiltrating from the Afghan border.

The federal government has been consistently raising its voice on international forums against terrorist sanctuaries operating in Afghanistan and using its soil to launch attacks on Pakistan — a development attested to by the United Nations Security Council.

Earlier this month, a suicide bomber struck the Imambargah Khadijah al-Kubra during Friday prayers in Islamabad, killing 36 people and injuring around 169 others. The attack was the deadliest in Islamabad in more than a decade and the deadliest nationwide since the Peshawar mosque bombing in January 2023.