RAWALPINDI: Pakistan’s security forces killed 10 “India-sponsored” terrorists, including a highly wanted ringleader, in two separate intelligence-based operations in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan provinces, the military’s media wing said on Thursday.
According to the military’s media wing, Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), security forces conducted an intelligence-based operation on December 24 in the Kulachi area of Dera Ismail Khan district on the reported presence of terrorists.
During the operation, security forces effectively engaged the terrorists’ location and, as a result, two terrorists, including ringleader Dilawar, were gunned down, ISPR said.
“Dilawar was highly wanted by law enforcement agencies due to his involvement in multiple terrorist activities, and the government had fixed a head money of Rs4 million on him,” the ISPR said.
Weapons and ammunition were also recovered from the killed terrorists, who had remained actively involved in numerous terrorist activities against security forces as well as in the killing of innocent civilians, ISPR stated.
Sanitisation operations were conducted in the area to eliminate any other “India-sponsored” terrorists present in the area, the military’s media wing added.
ISPR said the relentless counterterrorism campaign under the vision of “Azm-e-Istehkam” by security forces and law enforcement agencies would continue at full pace to wipe out the menace of foreign-sponsored and supported terrorism from the country.
Eight terrorists killed in Balochistan
In a separate intelligence-based operation in the Kalat district of Balochistan province, security forces killed eight “India-sponsored” terrorists.
“The troops effectively engaged the terrorists, and after an intense exchange of fire, eight Indian-sponsored terrorists were sent to hell,” the military’s media wing said about the operation conducted on the reported presence of “Fitna al Hindustan” terrorists.
“Fitna al Hindustan” is a state term referring to all the banned terrorist groups operating in Balochistan to highlight India’s role in terrorism and destabilisation across Pakistan.
Cross-border terrorism from Afghanistan
The security forces’ operations come amid a notable increase in terrorist attacks in the country, particularly in the bordering provinces of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, since the Afghan Taliban regime took power in Afghanistan in 2021.
Cross-border terrorism emanating from Afghanistan has also resulted in week-long clashes between the two countries in October.
The development comes days after Islamabad issued a demarche to the Afghan Taliban regime, conveying grave concern over the continued support and facilitation provided to Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).
Pakistan’s Foreign Office summoned the Afghan deputy head of mission on December 19 after four Pakistani soldiers were martyred in a terrorist attack in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s North Waziristan.
Afghan Taliban regime’s support for terror groups
Pakistan said the Afghan Taliban regime’s continued support for terrorist groups had enabled them to carry out attacks against the Pakistan military and civilian population along the Pak-Afghan border and in adjoining areas.
The Foreign Office also informed Kabul’s envoy that Pakistan reserved the right to defend its sovereignty and protect its citizens, and would take all necessary measures to respond to terrorism originating from Afghan soil.
In March, Pakistan ranked second in the Global Terrorism Index 2025, with the number of deaths in terrorist attacks rising by 45 percent as compared to the previous year.
In October, the Islamabad-based think tank Centre for Research and Security Studies said that violence had surged in the third quarter of 2025 due to a spike in terrorist attacks and intensified counter-terrorism operations.
