Security forces have killed four members of the Indian-sponsored militant network Fitna al-Khawarij during a series of coordinated intelligence-based operations (IBOs) across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa between November 17 and 18, the military confirmed on Wednesday. The operations are part of Pakistan’s intensified push under Azm-e-Istehkam, a nationwide effort aimed at stamping out Indian-sponsored terrorism and foreign-backed militant activity.
Targeted Raids Across KP
According to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the first engagement took place in Bajaur, where security personnel acted on precise intelligence regarding the presence of militants. An exchange of heavy fire followed, resulting in the killing of one terrorist.
Two additional militants were eliminated in separate IBOs carried out in Spinwam and Zakir Khel areas of North Waziristan, a district long considered a hotspot for extremist networks exploiting the region’s proximity to the Afghan border.
A fourth militant was killed in a separate encounter in Dera Ismail Khan, the ISPR said. Weapons, ammunition, and communication tools were recovered from the militants, all of whom were linked to cross-border sabotage campaigns attributed to Indian-backed groups.
Sweeps Continue Amid Rising Threats
Security forces have launched sanitisation operations to ensure no remaining operatives of the network remain in the targeted zones. The military reiterated its commitment to sustaining a decisive campaign to uproot cross-border terrorism, which Pakistan says has escalated since the Taliban’s return to power in Afghanistan in 2021.
The latest IBOs followed a major crackdown a day earlier in which 23 Indian-sponsored militants were neutralised in various parts of KP.
KP Remains the Epicentre of Attacks
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan continue to face the bulk of militant aggression, driven largely by groups operating from across the Afghan border. KP alone reported more than 600 terror attacks during the first eight months of 2025, leading to the martyrdom of at least 79 police personnel and 138 civilians, according to official police data.
Pakistan has repeatedly urged Afghanistan’s interim authorities to honour their commitments under the 2020 Doha Agreement, which obligates them to prevent their territory from being used against any other state.
