NATIONAL NEWS
PESHAWAR: Pakistani security forces have carried out two major counterterrorism operations in Kurram district, killing 23 militants described as India-sponsored, according to the military’s media wing.
The operations, both conducted on November 19, are part of the wider national campaign against terrorism.
In a statement on Wednesday, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said the actions targeted elements of the group referred to as “Fitna Al Khwarij.” The first operation was launched after intelligence reports confirmed the presence of militants in a specific area of Kurram. Troops engaged the suspects in a fierce exchange of fire, resulting in the deaths of 12 militants.
Soon after, security forces acted on additional intelligence pointing to another militant cell operating nearby. In this second intelligence-based raid, 11 more militants were neutralised.
ISPR added that sweeping and clearance operations are still underway to ensure no remaining India-backed operatives are hiding in the vicinity. The military emphasized that its ongoing counterterrorism drive under the “Azm-e-Istehkam” framework—approved by the Federal Apex Committee on the National Action Plan—will continue with full intensity to uproot foreign-supported terrorism.
These latest actions follow a series of earlier operations on November 17 and 18 in different districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. According to ISPR, four members of the same network were killed in Bajaur, North Waziristan, and Dera Ismail Khan. Among them was a foreign national, eliminated during a shootout in Bajaur. Two others were killed in North Waziristan’s Spin Wam and Zakir Khel areas, while another foreign militant was taken out in Dera Ismail Khan. Weapons and ammunition were recovered from these encounters.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif lauded the security forces for their successes in these operations, commending their efforts to dismantle the “Fitna al-Khawarij” network. He reiterated that the nation stands firmly with its armed forces in the fight against terrorism and praised the forces for their achievements under the vision of “determination and stability.”
Read more: https://nayakashmir.com/pakistan-releases-major-governance-anti-corruption-study-ahead-of-crucial-imf-review/
