Pakistan’s security forces launched a series of intensive counterterrorism operations across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on March 6 and 7, resulting in the deaths of 13 militants in five separate engagements over two days. The operations were part of an aggressive intelligence-driven campaign targeting armed groups responsible for terrorist activities in the region.
In a statement, the military’s media wing Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) identified the slain militants as members of “Fitna Al Khwarij,” a term used by authorities for fighters linked to the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan, which the state alleges operates as an Indian proxy. The operations are part of the broader national counterterrorism strategy, “Azm-i-Istehkam,” under the National Action Plan.
The first clash occurred in Bajaur District, where troops targeted a militant hideout during an intelligence-based operation, resulting in five militants killed in a fierce exchange of gunfire. Subsequent encounters in Bannu District and Dera Ismail Khan District claimed three more lives. Meanwhile, operations in Khyber District and South Waziristan District led to five additional militants killed.
According to ISPR, a significant cache of weapons and ammunition was recovered from the slain militants, who were allegedly involved in multiple terrorist attacks across KP. Security forces are conducting follow-up sanitisation operations to ensure no militants remain hidden in the affected areas. The military emphasized that these measures are part of ongoing operations along the Afghan border to counter cross-border threats.
The campaign forms part of Operation Ghazab Lil Haq, aimed at dismantling militant networks near the Afghanistan border. Official figures indicate that during this operation, 527 Afghan Taliban fighters were killed, more than 755 were injured, 237 posts destroyed, and 38 captured, reflecting Pakistan’s ongoing efforts to secure its frontiers.
President Asif Ali Zardari praised the armed forces for their professionalism and success in Bajaur, Bannu, Dera Ismail Khan, Khyber, and South Waziristan. He stated that such operations are crucial for restoring peace and stability in the country. The announcement comes amid a worrying resurgence of militant violence in KP, with 2025 security reports showing fatalities rose to 2,331 — a 44 percent increase from 2024.
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