RAWALPINDI: Pakistan’s security forces have killed 23 “Indian-sponsored” terrorists in a series of intelligence-based counterterrorism operations conducted over the past 48 hours in the country’s northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, the military said in a statement on Thursday.
“In a determined effort to eliminate terrorist threats and dismantle the khwarij networks, Security Forces continue to conduct a series of intelligence-based operations in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, based on credible intelligence leads,” the military’s media wing, Inter Service Public Relations (ISPR), said in a statement.
The state refers to the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) terrorist group as “Fitna al-Khwarij” and its members as “Khwarij” or “Khariji.”
Operations were conducted in Datta Khel, Spinwam and Bannu areas, ISPR said.
“Over the last 48 hours, during the conduct of these series of operations, own troops effectively engaged multiple khwarij locations. Following intense and fierce exchanges of fire, twenty-three more khwarij belonging to Indian-sponsored Fitna-al-Khwarij,” the statement added.
According to ISPR, a terrorist ring leader Jan Meer alias Toor Saqib, has also been neutralised during the operations, giving a significant blow to the terrorist networks operating in these areas.
“Kharji Ring leader Jan Meer alias Toor Saqib was highly wanted by the Security Forces and the Government had fixed Head money on him for his active involvement in numerous terrorist activities, including killing of security forces personnel and innocent civilians,” it said.
Weapons, ammunition, a large cache of explosives, and pre-prepared improvised explosive devices (IEDs) were also recovered from the killed terrorists, who were actively involved in multiple terrorist activities in the area, ISPR said.
During subsequent sanitisation operations, security forces uncovered and destroyed a complex network of underground tunnels and bunkers used by the Khwarij.
The ongoing counterterrorism campaign under the vision of “Azm-e-Istehkam”, approved by the Federal Apex Committee on the National Action Plan, is being pursued by Pakistan’s security forces and law enforcement agencies at full pace to eradicate foreign-sponsored and supported terrorism from the country, said the statement.
It is pertinent to mention that Pakistani security forces on Wednesday killed a key terrorist commander of an Indian-backed proxy and mastermind of last year’s attack on the headquarters of Frontier Corps Balochistan (North) in the southwestern city of Quetta, during an intense intelligence-based operation.
Identified as Baseer, a senior commander of Fitna al Khawarij, was in charge of the attack that took place on 30 September 2025, which killed 10 people and left more than 30 others injured, according to security officials.
Terrorist sanctuaries in Afghanistan
Pakistan has witnessed a surge in cross-border terrorist attacks since the Afghan Taliban returned to power in Kabul in August 2021.
Islamabad has repeatedly asked the Taliban regime to take decisive and credible action against terrorist groups based in Afghanistan; however, the Taliban regime failed to curb terrorist groups operating from Afghan soil, particularly the TTP.
Afghanistan continues to remain a major regional security concern due to the presence of terrorist groups.
Pakistan has repeatedly expressed concern over the presence of terrorist sanctuaries inside Afghanistan, particularly those linked to the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) terrorist group.
TTP is involved in various terrorist attacks inside Pakistan, as the terrorist group enjoys support from the Taliban regime and freely operates in Afghanistan.
According to reports, some Afghan Taliban commanders are acting as facilitators for TTP terrorists, helping them regroup after attacks inside Pakistan.
Afghanistan remains terrorism hub
Last week, Russia’s Security Council Secretary Sergei Shoigu warned that Afghanistan remains a major source of terrorism, saying thousands of terrorists linked to various terrorist groups continue to operate freely inside the country.
Speaking at the 21st Meeting of the Secretaries of Security Councils of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), Shoigu said between 18,000 and 23,000 terrorists affiliated with more than 20 terrorist groups were currently active in Afghanistan, Russia’s state-run TASS news agency reported.
Shoigu said around 3,000 terrorists linked to the Islamic State group were also present in Afghanistan, underscoring growing concerns among SCO member states over terrorism and cross-border security threats originating from the country.
The Russian Security Council chief warned about the movement of foreign fighters from Syria into Afghanistan and the expansion of terrorist infrastructure in the region.
He said there were increasing numbers of Uyghur, Tajik and Uzbek terrorists relocating from Syria to Afghanistan.
