ISLAMABAD: Security forces killed 22 militants belonging to the “Indian-sponsored Fitna-al-Khwarij” during an ongoing area sanitisation operation in North Waziristan, the military’s media wing said on Tuesday, describing it as one of the most significant recent counterterrorism engagements under the broader “Azm-e-Istehkam” campaign.
According to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the operation was launched on May 17 in the general area of Shewa, North Waziristan district, after security forces received credible intelligence regarding the presence of militants in the area.
The ISPR said troops effectively engaged militant hideouts during the operation and, after an intense exchange of fire over the last 24 hours, 22 militants were killed.
Weapons and ammunition were also recovered from the slain militants, who, according to the military, had remained actively involved in numerous terrorist activities in the region.
The military said sanitisation operations were continuing in the area, which had been effectively cordoned off by security forces to eliminate any remaining militants.
According to the statement, evidence gathered during the operation suggested that the militants had coerced and intimidated residents and used civilians as human shields to secure safe passage.
“Such deplorable acts are highly condemnable, and no justification can rationalise the endangerment of public lives,” the ISPR said.
The military reiterated that the counterterrorism campaign under the vision of “Azm-e-Istehkam,” approved by the Federal Apex Committee under the National Action Plan, would continue “at full pace” to eliminate what it described as “foreign-sponsored and supported terrorism” from the country.
The latest operation comes amid an intensified security crackdown in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s tribal districts, where militant violence and cross-border infiltration attempts have witnessed a renewed spike in recent months.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2026
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