ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s security forces have killed 11 “Indian-sponsored” terrorists in series of intelligence-based operations conducted over the past 48 hours in the country’s northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, the military said in a statement on Sunday.
Security forces targeted multiple terrorist hideouts during the operations conducted in the Datta Khel area of North Waziristan, according to a statement issued by the military’s media wing, Inter Service Public Relations (ISPR).
“Following intense and fierce exchanges of fire, eleven khawarij belonging to India-sponsored Fitna-al-Khawarij were effectively neutralised,” the statement said.
The state refers to the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) terrorist group as “Fitna al-Khwarij” and its members as “Khwarij” or “Khariji.”
According to the ISPR, weapons and ammunition were recovered from the terrorists killed during the operations, who were allegedly involved in numerous terrorist activities in the area.
“Sanitisation operations continue to eliminate holed up khawarij from these areas,” it said.
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 terrorists from the country, said the statement.
Earlier this week, ISPR said security forces had killed 23 Indian-sponsored terrorists in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
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
Earlier this month, 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.
