Security forces kill 13 India-backed Khawarij militants in KP operations

ISLAMABAD: Security forces killed 13 militants  belonging to the India-backed terrorist group Fitna al-Khawar in two separate operations in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, according to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR).

The ISPR said that the operations were conducted on November 20–21 based on intelligence about the presence of militants.

Security forces and law enforcement agencies launched a joint intelligence-based operation in the general area of Paharkhel in Lakki Marwat district.

During the operation, security personnel effectively targeted the militant hideout, and after a fierce exchange of fire, 10 militants were killed.

In another intelligence-based operation in Dera Ismail Khan district, security forces killed three more militants during a gun battle.

According to the ISPR, weapons and ammunition were recovered from the slain India-backed militants, who were actively involved in multiple terrorist attacks, including targeted assaults on security forces, law enforcement agencies and innocent civilians.

The ISPR said that sanitisation operations are under way to eliminate any remaining India-backed militants in the area.

It said that Pakistan’s security forces and law enforcement agencies will continue to advance the ongoing counterterrorism campaign under the National Action Plan’s vision of Azm-e-Istehkam to eradicate the menace of foreign-sponsored terrorism.

Earlier, security forces killed 24 militants belonging to the India-backed terrorist group Fitna al-Khawarij in operations in two districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, taking the militant death toll to 37 in the past two days.

According to a statement issued by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), two major intelligence-based counterterrorism operations were conducted on November 16 and November 17 in Bajaur and Bannu.

During these operations, 23 militants linked to the Indian proxy network Fitna al-Khawarij were eliminated, the ISPR said.