ISLAMABAD: Security forces have killed nine Fitna al-Khwarij terrorists during intelligence-based operations (IBOs) in several areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s North Waziristan district, security sources said on Thursday.
According to the sources, the operations were conducted in Palangzai, Nadeem Kot and Kot Khazri areas of North Waziristan.
Several terrorist hideouts were also destroyed during the operations, while a large quantity of weapons and ammunition was recovered, the sources said.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif lauded the security forces for killing the nine terrorists in North Waziristan.
The latest operations came a day after security forces killed 18 India-backed terrorists in separate operations in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, according to security sources.
The sources said security forces targeted militant hideouts in North Waziristan and adjoining areas, killing 13 militants.
Separately, security forces conducted an operation against Fitna al-Hindustan in Mastung, killing five militants, they added.
Pakistan has witnessed a rise in cross-border terrorist attacks, particularly in KP and Balochistan, since the Afghan Taliban returned to power in 2021.
According to data compiled by the Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies (PICSS), 225 militant attacks were recorded across Pakistan in September 2026, compared with 199 in August, marking a 13% increase. The number of attacks rose for the third consecutive month, according to the data.
Islamabad has repeatedly urged Kabul to prevent its territory from being used by militant organisations to carry out attacks inside Pakistan.
Pakistan maintains that the Afghan Taliban authorities have failed to take effective action against groups responsible for attacks on Pakistani security forces and civilians.
Despite multiple rounds of talks, Islamabad and Kabul have yet to resolve their differences, with the presence of militant groups operating from Afghan soil remaining a major point of contention between the two sides.
