D I KHAN; Security forces killed 13 terrorists during an intelligence-based operation (IBO) in Dera Ismail Khan district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Wednesday, the military’s media wing announced.
According to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the operation was launched in the Daraban area after intelligence reports indicated the presence of militants linked to the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), which the state refers to as “Fitna al Khwarij.”
The statement further noted that India-backed groups active in Balochistan are designated as “Fitna al Hindustan” to highlight alleged Indian involvement in terrorism within Pakistan.
“During the operation, troops effectively engaged the militants’ hideout, killing 13 Indian-sponsored terrorists on the spot,” the ISPR said. Security personnel also seized a cache of weapons and ammunition.
The militants were accused of involvement in several attacks, including facilitating a suicide bombing in Daraban in December 2023, as well as the abduction and targeted killing of government officials and civilians. A follow-up sanitisation operation is underway to clear the area of any remaining militants.
The ISPR reiterated that Pakistan’s security forces remain resolute in eliminating Indian-sponsored terrorism from the country.
The statement recalled that just days earlier, on September 21, security forces killed seven terrorists — including three Afghan nationals and two suicide bombers — during an IBO in the Kulachi area of the same district. The ISPR urged the interim Afghan Taliban government to ensure its soil is not used for cross-border terrorist activity.
Pakistan has witnessed a sharp increase in terrorist incidents in recent months, particularly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan. The surge began after the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan unilaterally ended a ceasefire with the government in November 2022, vowing to intensify attacks against security personnel and law enforcement agencies.
