- Troops engaged khawarij after intense firefight: ISPR.
- President, PM hail forces for successful, coordinated IBO.
- PM says determined to eradicate terrorism from country.
At least eight Indian proxy Fitna al-Khawarij terrorists were killed during an intelligence-based operation (IBO) conducted by security forces and law enforcement agencies in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s (KP) Bannu district, the military’s media wing said in a statement on Saturday.
The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said that an IBO was conducted on November 21 on the reported presence of terrorists in Bannu district.
“During the conduct of operation, troops effectively engaged the khawarij location and after an intense fire exchange, eight khawarij belonging to Indian proxy Fitna al-Khawarij were sent to hell,” the statement added.
“Weapons and ammunition were also recovered from killed India-sponsored Khawarij, who remained actively involved in numerous terrorist activities against the security forces, LEAs and target killing of innocent civilians,” the ISPR press release said.
It further said: “The operation underscores the strengthened collaborative efforts between LEAs and security forces, who have significantly intensified intelligence-driven operations in the region. These meticulously coordinated and synchronised security measures are designed to constrict the operational mobility of Khawarij elements, systematically dismantle their facilitation networks, and curtail their capacity to reorganise.”
“Operations are producing substantial and measurable success with continuous efforts to achieve more peace and stability.”
The military’s media wing said that a sanitisation operation was being conducted to eliminate any other Indian-sponsored Kharji found in the area, as the relentless counterterrorism campaign under the vision “Azm-e-Istehkam” approved by the Federal Apex Committee on National Action Plan by security forces and LEAs will continue at full pace to wipe out the menace of foreign-sponsored and supported terrorism from the country.
President Asif Ali Zardari hailed the joint operation against terrorists in Bannu, saying that coordinated actions by the security forces and LEAs were further strengthening national security.
He maintained that dismantling Indian-backed terror networks was “vital for Pakistan’s security” and “a national priority”.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif paid tribute to the security forces on the operation, saying they were achieving major successes in the fight against terrorism.
“We are determined to completely eradicate all forms of terrorism from the country,” he added.
Pakistan has been grappling with a surge in terrorist attacks, particularly in the border provinces of KP and Balochistan, since the Afghan Taliban grabbed power in 2021.
A police report noted that KP alone recorded over 600 terror incidents, in which at least 79 police personnel were martyred alongside 138 civilians, during the first eight months of 2025.
