RAWALPINDI (MNN); Security forces killed 11 terrorists during separate intelligence-based operations in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, security sources said on Thursday.
According to state-run Radio Pakistan, the operations were carried out against militants described by the government as belonging to Fitna al Khawarij and Fitna al Hindustan.
In Bannu, security forces conducted an intelligence-based operation against Fitna al Khawarij, killing two terrorists and recovering weapons and ammunition from their possession.
In a separate operation in the Ladha area of South Waziristan, five militants were killed.
Meanwhile, security forces killed four terrorists belonging to Fitna al Hindustan during an operation in the Sasool area of Khuzdar district, Balochistan. According to the report, the militants were effectively targeted with the assistance of a quadcopter.
President Asif Ali Zardari paid tribute to the security forces for the successful operations, saying the elimination of terrorist elements operating with foreign support was essential for Pakistan’s national security and lasting peace.
He reiterated the resolve to eliminate terrorism from the country and praised the professional capabilities and achievements of the security forces and law enforcement agencies.
Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi also commended the security forces, saying their timely action had foiled the militants’ nefarious designs. He said the entire nation stood united against terrorism and alongside the country’s security forces.
The latest operations come amid an increase in militant violence and counterterrorism operations in several parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan. Security forces had earlier killed 49 terrorists in separate intelligence-based operations in the two provinces on August 21.
According to the Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies, July was the deadliest month of 2026 so far, with 205 people, including 112 security personnel, killed in violence linked to militant attacks and counterterrorism operations. The report said Balochistan witnessed the sharpest deterioration in the security situation, followed by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
