Security forces have killed 11 India-backed Fitna al-Khawarij terrorists in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa’s North Waziristan district over the past 48 hours, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said on Sunday.
“In continuation of series of intelligence-based operations, in last [48] hours, security forces engaged multiple khawarijs’ locations in general area Datta Khel, North Waziristan District,” read a statement issued by the military’s media wing.
It said 11 terrorists belonging to India-sponsored Fitna al-Khawarij were effectively neutralized after intense and fierce exchanges of fire. Security forces also recovered weapons and ammunition from the slain terrorists, who were actively involved in numerous terrorist activities in the area, it added.
Following the intelligence-based operation, the ISPR said, security forces launched sanitization operations to eliminate holed-up terrorists from the areas.
Separately, local media reported at least 16 terrorists, including two ringleaders, were killed and two policemen martyred during an ongoing joint operation conducted by the Pakistan Army, police and the Counter-Terrorism Department in Bannu.
Pakistan is the midst of a terror resurgence following the return to power of the Afghan Taliban in Kabul in August 2021. Islamabad has repeatedly urged Kabul to prevent its soil from being used by terrorist organizations to carry out attacks inside its territory to no avail.
Earlier this year, Pakistan launched Operation Ghazab-lil-Haq, targeting militant strongholds in Afghanistan. The conflict, however, was paused at the urging of mediators, including China, who have backed dialogue to resolve pending issues.