Security forces killed 11 terrorists in two separate intelligence-based operations (IBOs) carried out in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said on Saturday.
In a statement, the military’s media wing said the operations were conducted on January 8 and targeted militants affiliated with Indian proxy group Fitna al Khawarij — a term used by the state for terrorists belonging to the outlawed Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).
According to the ISPR, one IBO was carried out in North Waziristan district following reports of terrorist presence in the area. During the operation, security forces engaged the militants, killing six of them in what the statement described as an “intense fire exchange.”
In a separate operation, police and security forces jointly conducted an IBO in Kurram district. Five more terrorists were “effectively neutralised” during the ensuing clash, the ISPR said.
Weapons and ammunition were recovered from the killed militants, who, according to the military, had been actively involved in multiple terrorist activities. These included attacks on security forces and law enforcement agencies, as well as the targeted killing of civilians.
The ISPR added that sanitisation operations were underway to eliminate any remaining militants in the area, stressing that Pakistan’s counterterrorism campaign would continue at “full pace” to eradicate what it described as foreign-sponsored and supported terrorism from the country.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif praised the armed forces for the successful operations, commending their professionalism and resolve.“We will continue the war against terrorism until it is completely eliminated,” the prime minister said in a statement issued by the Prime Minister’s Office. He added that Pakistan’s armed forces and police remained fully engaged in combating the country’s enemies.
“The entire nation, including myself, stands shoulder to shoulder with our security forces in their unwavering commitment to safeguarding the homeland,” he said.
President Asif Ali Zardari also lauded the efforts of the security forces, stating that their role in protecting the lives and property of citizens was “commendable,” according to state-run Radio Pakistan.
Despite record militant casualties, Pakistan witnessed a sharp rise in militant violence in 2025. Terrorist attacks increased by 34 per cent, while terrorism-related fatalities rose by 21 per cent year on year, according to a report by the Islamabad-based Pak Institute for Peace Studies.
Earlier this week, ISPR Director General Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry said during a press briefing that Pakistan’s law enforcement agencies — including the army, police, Federal Constabulary, and intelligence services — carried out a total of 75,175 intelligence-based operations across the country in 2025.