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Pakistan's military said on Thursday that security forces have killed 23 terrorists in a series of intelligence-based operations conducted across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa over the past 48 hours. The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) named Datta Khel, Spinwam, and Bannu as areas where the operations took place.

According to the ISPR, troops "effectively engaged multiple khwarij locations" and, following intense exchanges of fire, neutralised the terrorists, who were described as belonging to "Indian-sponsored Fitna-al-Khwarij." Fitna al Khawarij is a term the state uses for terrorists belonging to the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).

Coverage Comparison

The announcement on Thursday aligns with a series of recent counter-terrorism reports from the military and security sources. Over the course of the past week, Dawn has reported on multiple operations across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, with varying numbers of militants killed, different locations, and some conflicting details regarding the groups involved.

On Tuesday, ISPR reported that security forces had killed 22 "India-sponsored terrorists" in an ongoing sanitisation operation in North Waziristan's Shewa general area, which had been underway since May 17. That operation was based on "credible intelligence leads" and involved intense firefights. The military said weapons and ammunition were recovered from the slain terrorists, and also claimed evidence that the terrorists had "coerced and intimidated the local population" to use them as human shields.

An earlier report cited security sources as saying that at least eight militants, including two Afghan nationals belonging to the banned Tariq Gidar group — an affiliate of the TTP — were killed on the second day of an operation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's Darra Adamkhel area. That brought the total for that operation to 13 over two days, with five killed the previous day. The sources said the operation was ongoing and the area had been cordoned off.

In a separate incident, security sources said security forces foiled a suicide attack by Fitna al Khawarij on a military post near Miranshah in North Waziristan on Tuesday. According to the sources, the terrorists attempted to ram an explosive-laden vehicle into the post, but the vehicle was destroyed before reaching its target. Four terrorists were killed in the operation. The sources said the attack was likely a reaction to recent military successes around Miranshah, where over 20 terrorists had been killed in prior operations.

Earlier, on the same Thursday that the 23-strong figure was released, ISPR reported that four terrorists had been killed in two separate intelligence-based operations in Dera Ismail Khan and Mohmand districts. Those reports also described the insurgents as belonging to Fitna Al Khawarij.

It is unclear from the available information whether the 23 figure from the Thursday statement encompasses the earlier reported operations or is in addition to them. The military's statement on Thursday also mentioned the killing of a ring leader identified as Jan Meer alias Toor Saqib, who was wanted by security forces and had a bounty on his head. The ISPR said his death would deal a significant blow to the terror networks in the area.

Key Claims

  • The ISPR claims security forces killed 23 terrorists in multiple intelligence-based operations in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa over 48 hours, in areas including Datta Khel, Spinwam, and Bannu.
  • The ISPR claims the terrorists belonged to "Indian-sponsored Fitna-al-Khwarij," a term used by the state for members of the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).
  • The ISPR claims weapons, ammunition, and a large cache of explosives, including IEDs, were recovered from the killed terrorists.
  • The ISPR claims security forces discovered and destroyed a series of complex underground tunnels and bunkers used by terrorists during the operations.
  • Among those killed was ring leader Jan Meer alias Toor Saqib, who the ISPR said was wanted for "active involvement in numerous terrorist activities, including the killing of security personnel and innocent civilians."
  • The ISPR said the operations were part of a "relentless counter-terrorism campaign" under the vision 'Azm-i-Istehkam', approved by the Federal Apex Committee on National Action Plan.

Context

The recent operations come amid a reported resurgence in terrorism in Pakistan, especially in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, since the Afghan Taliban returned to power in Kabul in 2021. Islamabad has repeatedly urged the Taliban administration to dismantle terrorist sanctuaries on Afghan soil, particularly those linked to the TTP, but officials say those appeals have gone unheeded.

A monthly security assessment released by the Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies (PICSS) cited by Dawn stated that Pakistan's security situation deteriorated sharply in May, driven primarily by escalating terrorist violence in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan. The assessment reportedly noted a rise in attacks, often targeting security personnel and law enforcers.