Security forces kill 20 'Khwarij terrorists' in K-P IBOs: ISPR

Military media wing says 12 terrorists neutralised in Dara Adam Khel, eight in Shawal

Security forces killed 20 terrorists during two intelligence-based operations in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, the military’s media wing said on Monday.

According to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the operations targeted members of Fitna al Khwarij, described as an Indian proxy group, in North Waziristan and Dara Adam Khel districts.

“In the general area of Shawal, North Waziristan, security forces conducted an operation on reported presence of terrorists. During the operation, eight Indian-sponsored ‘Khwarij’ were neutralised,” the ISPR stated.

Another IBO was carried out in the Dara Adam Khel area, where an exchange of fire led to the killing of 12 Fitna members. “Our troops effectively engaged the terrorists’ location, resulting in the elimination of 12 ‘Khwarij’,” the statement added.

The ISPR further said that sanitisation operations are ongoing in the surrounding areas to ensure the complete elimination of any remaining member of Khwarij. “The ongoing counterterrorism campaign under the vision of Azm-e-Istehkam will continue with full force to eradicate the menace of foreign-sponsored terrorism from the country,” it added.

The latest operations come days after security forces killed 18 militants linked to another Indian proxy outfit, Fitna al Hindustan, in Balochistan. On October 28 and 29, 14 terrorists were killed during an operation in the Chiltan Mountains area of Quetta District, while four more were neutralised in a separate raid in Buleda, Kech District.

According to ISPR, weapons, ammunition, and explosives were recovered from the hideout of terrorists. “Sanitisation operations are in progress to eliminate any remaining Indian-sponsored terrorists in the region,” the statement said.