RAWALPINDI: The security forces killed 21 Fitna al-Khawarij in separate operations across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa between September 3 and 5, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) mentioned.
The operations were conducted in different areas of the province, including North Waziristan, Kohat and Dera Ismail Khan, as security forces continued efforts to prevent militant infiltration and strengthen security along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border.
The ISPR said 10 militants were killed in North Waziristan after security forces carried out an operation against militants hiding near the Pakistan-Afghanistan border.
The operation followed an earlier successful engagement during the night of August 31 and September 1. Security personnel subsequently tracked and targeted additional militants believed to be attempting to operate in the area.
The military said the latest action brought the total number of militants killed in connection with the reported infiltration attempts to 25.
In another operation in North Waziristan, security forces detected the movement of a militant group near the Afghan border.
Security personnel responded promptly and conducted an effective operation, resulting in the deaths of seven militants, according to the ISPR.
The operation was part of continued efforts to identify and eliminate militant groups attempting to establish a presence in border areas.
Operations Reported in Kohat and Dera Ismail Khan
Security forces also conducted joint operations in Kohat and Dera Ismail Khan districts. During two separate encounters, four additional militants were killed, the ISPR said.
Sanitisation operations were subsequently launched in the surrounding areas to ensure that no remaining militants were present and to prevent further militant activity.
The latest incidents have again highlighted Pakistan’s concerns regarding cross-border militant activity originating from Afghan territory.
Pakistan has repeatedly called on the Afghan Taliban authorities to prevent their territory from being used by militant organisations for attacks against Pakistan. Islamabad maintains that effective border management and action against militant groups are essential for regional security.
The Pakistani military reiterated that security forces remain committed to protecting the country’s borders and countering militant threats.
The ISPR said Pakistan’s security forces and law-enforcement agencies would continue their counterterrorism campaign under the framework of the Federal Apex Committee.
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The stated objective is to eliminate militant networks and prevent foreign-backed or externally supported terrorism from threatening Pakistan’s security.
