Security forces eliminated nine militants linked to the Indian-sponsored group Fitna al-Khawarij in two intelligence-based operations (IBOs) carried out in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Tank and Lakki Marwat districts, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said on Saturday.
According to the military’s media wing, the operations were conducted on December 5 following reports of terrorist presence in both districts. In Tank, security forces engaged the militants’ hideout and, after an intense exchange of fire, killed seven terrorists. A separate operation in Lakki Marwat resulted in the neutralisation of two more militants.
Weapons and ammunition were recovered from the slain militants, who the ISPR said had been involved in attacks on security forces, law enforcement agencies and in targeted killings of civilians. The statement added that sanitisation operations were underway to clear the area of any remaining threats.
The ISPR reaffirmed that the counterterrorism campaign under the ‘Azm-e-Istehkam’ vision would continue to operate at full pace to eradicate all forms of foreign-sponsored terrorism from the country.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, President Asif Ali Zardari and Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi lauded the security forces for the successful operations. They praised the troops for their continued efforts against militant networks operating in the region.
Pakistan has witnessed a sharp rise in terrorist incidents since 2021, particularly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan. In a recent briefing, ISPR Director General Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry revealed that 67,023 IBOs had been conducted nationwide this year, resulting in the deaths of 1,873 terrorists — including 136 Afghan nationals — with the majority of operations taking place in KP and Balochistan.
Islamabad has repeatedly urged the Afghan Taliban authorities to prevent their territory from being used by militants staging attacks inside Pakistan. Tensions between the two sides have remained high, with recent cross-border incidents prompting retaliatory responses from Pakistani forces.
