Mazaj News (Web Desk) In two separate counter-terrorism operations in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan’s security forces successfully killed 13 terrorists, according to an official statement from the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) on Wednesday.
The operations targeted militants associated with the “Indian Proxy Fitna Al Khawarij,” a designation used by the state for members of the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan.
During the first intelligence-driven operation (IBO) in Bara, Khyber district, 10 terrorists were killed following a coordinated assault and heavy gunfire exchange. In the second IBO in Bannu district, three additional terrorists were neutralized.
The ISPR stated that follow-up sanitization operations are ongoing to eliminate any remaining militants in the region. These actions form part of the broader Counter-Terrorism campaign under the initiative ‘Azm-e-Istehkam,’ approved by the Federal Apex Committee on the National Action Plan, aimed at eradicating foreign-backed terrorism in Pakistan.
President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif praised the security forces for their decisive action. Both leaders reaffirmed the country’s commitment to eliminating terrorism supported by foreign entities, emphasizing that operations will continue to ensure the safety and security of the population. PM Shehbaz described the forces as a “solid shield” protecting the nation.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has witnessed a notable rise in terrorist incidents over the past year. According to the 2025 Annual Security Report by the Centre for Research and Security Studies (CRSS), fatalities in the province increased from 1,620 in 2024 to 2,331 in 2025.
Earlier this year, security forces killed five terrorists in an IBO in Lakki Marwat on March 15. In the preceding week, 13 terrorists were eliminated across five separate operations in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, highlighting an intensified crackdown on militancy in the region.