ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s security forces eliminated 23 terrorists belonging to the Indian-sponsored network Fitna al-Khwarij in two major intelligence-based operations conducted in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on 16 and 17 November.
According to Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the first operation was carried out in Bajaur district after reports of militant presence in the area. Security forces engaged the identified hideout with precision, killing 11 terrorists, including the group’s key ringleader Sajjad, also known as Abuzar.
In a separate intelligence-driven action in Bannu district, troops successfully neutralised 12 more terrorists linked to the same network. Both operations, ISPR said, were conducted without delay to pre-empt potential attacks planned by the militants.
Following the engagements, troops have launched comprehensive sanitisation operations to clear the surrounding areas of any remaining militants and ensure that no threat persists.
ISPR added that the country’s ongoing counter-terrorism campaign under the “Azm-e-Istehkam” vision — approved by the Federal Apex Committee on the National Action Plan — continues at full pace. The security forces reaffirmed their resolve to eliminate all forms of foreign-sponsored terrorism and restore lasting peace across the region.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025