Members of the local tribal militia keep position on a check-post at a troubled area in the outskirt of Wana, the main town of Pakistan’s South Waziristan. File photo
| Photo Credit: AP
Security forces in Pakistan have killed at least 11 terrorists in four separate engagements in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on March 26-27, the military media wing said late on Thursday (March 27, 2025).
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In a statement, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said an intelligence-based operation was conducted by the security forces in the general area Mir Ali in North Waziristan district.
“During the operation, our troops effectively targeted the Khwarij [terrorists] location and resultantly, five terrorists were sent to hell,” it said.
In a second operation conducted in the same area, three militants were neutralised by the troops, the statement added.
In another encounter that took place in the general area Miran Shah in North Waziristan district, the troops effectively neutralised two terrorists, the ISPR said.
In the fourth operation conducted by the security forces in the general area Daraban in Dera Ismail Khan district, one terrorist “was sent to hell”, the statement said.
Weapons and ammunition were also recovered from the killed terrorists, who remained actively involved in numerous terrorist activities.
The military’s media wing said sanitisation operations were launched to eliminate any other terrorist found in the area “as the security forces of Pakistan are determined to wipe out the menace of terrorism from the country”.
Last week, at least 16 terrorists were killed by security forces as they attempted to cross into Pakistan from Afghanistan in North Waziristan district, ISPR had said.
The country has been reeling under increased terrorist attacks targeting especially the law enforcers and security forces since the Taliban returned to power in Afghanistan in 2021, particularly in the bordering provinces of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Baluchistan.
Rise in terror attacks in Pakistan
The country witnessed a sharp increase in terror attacks in January 2025, surging by 42 per cent compared to the previous month, according to data released by the Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies (PICSS), a think-tank.
The data revealed that at least 74 militant attacks were recorded nationwide, resulting in 91 fatalities, including 35 security personnel, 20 civilians, and 36 militants.
Another 117 individuals sustained injuries, including 53 security personnel, 54 civilians, and 10 militants. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) remained the worst-affected province, followed by Baluchistan.
In KP’s settled districts, militants carried out 27 attacks, resulting in 19 fatalities, including 11 security personnel, six civilians, and two militants.
The tribal district of KP (erstwhile Fata) witnessed 19 attacks, leading to 46 deaths, including 13 security personnel, eight civilians, and 25 militants.
Published – March 28, 2025 06:33 am IST