Nine militants killed in Tank and Lakki Marwat operations, says ISPR

ISPR says engagements in Tank and Lakki Marwat followed intelligence reports

The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said nine individuals it described as “Indian-sponsored khwarij” were killed in two intelligence-based operations in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on December 5.

The ISPR said the first operation took place in Tank district after intelligence reports indicated the presence of individuals it linked to what it called the “Indian Proxy Fitna Al Khwarij.” Troops carried out an intelligence-based operation and “effectively engaged” the location, leading to an exchange of fire. After what the statement described as an “intense exchange of fire,” seven were killed.

A second operation took place the same day in Lakki Marwat district after intelligence pointed to more suspected militants in the area. Security forces came under fire and returned fire, the ISPR said, adding that two individuals were killed during the exchange.

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Weapons and ammunition were recovered from those killed in both operations. The ISPR stated that the individuals had been involved in “numerous terrorist activities” targeting security forces, law-enforcement agencies, as well as in “target killings of innocent civilians.” No details were shared about the specific incidents or the recovered material.

The ISPR said sanitisation operations were underway in the surrounding areas to ensure no other “Indian-sponsored khwarij” remained. It said the follow-up actions were part of a broader counter-terrorism campaign under the government’s “Azm-e-Istehkam” framework, approved by the Federal Apex Committee on the National Action Plan.

The campaign would continue “at full pace” with the aim of eliminating “the menace of foreign-sponsored and supported terrorism from the country”, said the ISPR. The statement did not report any casualties among security personnel or mention whether any arrests were made.

The ISPR did not release further operational details or identify those killed, and no independent confirmation of the events was immediately available.