By Staff Reporter
PESHAWAR: Security forces killed 17 “India-sponsored” terrorists in an intelligence-based operation in the Lakki Marwat district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, the military said on Saturday.
The overnight raid, conducted between Friday and Saturday, targeted operatives of the outlawed Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), which the government refers to as “Fitna al Khwarij.” The military’s media wing, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), said the operation was launched based on intelligence about the group’s presence in the area.
“Own troops effectively engaged the khwarij location, and as a result, 17 Indian-sponsored khwarij were neutralized,” the ISPR said in a statement. Security forces recovered weapons and ammunition from the slain militants, who were accused of attacks on security personnel, law enforcement, and civilians.
Pakistan intensified campaign against terrorism in its border regions, where violence has spiked since the Taliban regained control of Afghanistan in 2021. A report by the Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies, an Islamabad-based think tank, recorded a 74% increase in militant attacks in August compared with July, with 194 fatalities.
The ISPR said a follow-up “sanitization operation” was underway to eliminate any remaining “Indian-sponsored khwarji” in the area.
President Asif Ali Zardari commended the security forces, calling their efforts a reflection of Pakistan’s “firm resolve to eradicate Indian proxy terrorism.” In a statement, he emphasized the need to dismantle TTP networks for lasting stability. “The complete elimination of Fitna al Khwarij and its networks is vital for lasting peace and stability in the country,” Zardari said.
Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi praised the “professional capabilities and bravery” of the forces. “The action thwarted the terrorists’ malicious designs and prevented major threats to peace and stability,” he said. “I salute the brave personnel who ensured these terrorists met a humiliating end.”
Naqvi reaffirmed the government’s support for security agencies, emphasizing national solidarity. “The people of Pakistan stand shoulder to shoulder with our security forces. Together, we will not allow terrorists belonging to Fitna al-Khawarij to find refuge in Pakistan.”
The raid comes amid growing regional alarm over terrorist groups operating from Afghanistan. On Friday, Pakistan, China, Iran, and Russia issued a joint statement during a meeting on the sidelines of the 80th U.N. General Assembly session in New York. The four nations expressed concern over groups such as al-Qaida, TTP, and the Balochistan Liberation Army operating in Afghanistan, urging Afghan authorities to take “effective, concrete, and verifiable actions” to dismantle terrorist networks, cut off financing, and prevent recruitment.
The statement called for Afghan soil to be prevented from being used against neighboring countries, pressing for the “non-discriminatory elimination” of all militant groups. The diplomatic effort reflects frustration over the Taliban’s failure to curb cross-border militancy since 2021.
Pakistan’s border provinces, particularly Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, have faced frequent attacks on security forces and civilians. The TTP, which shares ideological ties with the Afghan Taliban, has exploited the porous border to launch assaults, prompting Pakistan to escalate military operations.
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