Security forces clear two militant hideouts inside mosques in North Waziristan

Security forces cleared two militant hideouts located inside mosques during an intelligence-based operation in North Waziristan’s Mir Ali area, the military’s media wing said on Monday, adding that a large cache of explosives, improvised explosive devices (IEDs), weapons and ammunition had been recovered.

The operation was conducted in Mozak village, in the southern part of Mir Ali tehsil, against what the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) described as hideouts of militants belonging to the Indian proxy Fitna al-Khawarij.

Fitna al-Khawarij is a term the state uses for terrorists belonging to the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).

In a statement, the ISPR said the militants had used the mosques to store explosives and as centres for violence. It said the use of places of worship for terrorist activities was a clear deviation from the fundamental teachings of Islam.

The military’s media wing added that militants operating under the patronage of the Afghan Taliban had no connection with Islam, and said the exploitation and selective interpretation of religion by militants were unacceptable.

Clearance operations were continuing in the area to eliminate other militant hideouts which the ISPR said were established with Indian backing. It said security forces and law enforcement agencies would continue their counterterrorism campaign under the government’s “Azm-e-Istehkam” initiative until foreign-sponsored terrorism was completely eliminated from the country.

Governor condemns use of mosques

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Faisal Karim Kundi congratulated security and intelligence agencies on what he described as a highly successful operation in Mir Ali.

In a statement, Kundi said he was deeply distressed after watching videos of the operation, which he said showed that militants had used mosques for terrorism and weapons storage.

“Mosques preach peace and the message of Islam. Such reprehensible activities there are deeply regrettable,” he said.

The governor said complaints about the misuse of mosques had also emerged in the former tribal districts in the past, adding that society could not accept such practices.

He said intelligence-based operations would be stepped up to establish peace in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and that the provincial government stood alongside security forces in efforts to restore law and order.

The region has seen a surge in violence, with the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and other militant groups frequently targeting security convoys and checkpoints with modern weapons and quadcopters.

Islamabad has frequently accused India of backing militant groups and Afghanistan of allowing its territory to be used for cross-border attacks. New Delhi and Kabul have denied the allegations.