Security forces killed 11 terrorists in separate intelligence-based operations (IBOs) across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan on Thursday, according to state-run Radio Pakistan citing security sources.
The operations were conducted in Bannu and Ladha, South Waziristan, in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and Sasool, also spelled Sasol, in Khuzdar district, Balochistan. Authorities identified the militants as belonging to Fitna al-Khawarij, the state’s designation for the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), and Fitna al-Hindustan, a term used by the government for designated Balochistan-based militant groups.
In Bannu, security forces killed two Fitna al-Khawarij terrorists, recovered weapons and ammunition and destroyed their hideout with explosives.
Another five terrorists were killed in Ladha after security forces received intelligence about their movement, cordoned off the area and conducted an operation. In Sasool, Khuzdar, four Fitna al-Hindustan terrorists were killed with assistance from a quadcopter.
President Asif Ali Zardari praised the forces, saying eliminating terrorist elements “active with foreign support” was essential for national security and lasting peace. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also commended the operations and reaffirmed the government’s determination to eliminate terrorism.
Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi praised the forces’ professionalism and said their timely action had thwarted the militants’ “nefarious designs.”
The operations followed several recent counterterrorism actions. ISPR said 49 terrorists were killed in separate KP and Balochistan IBOs on August 21. Another 15 were killed across Mastung, Bolan, Washuk, Awaran, Sibi, Khuzdar, Harnai and Noshki during Operation Radd-ul-Fitna-3 on August 9, while 12 were killed in Washuk and Mastung on August 6.
The operations come amid rising militant violence. ACLED data shows attacks increased from 658 in 2022 to 2,425 in 2025. PICSS reported 205 deaths in July 2026, including 112 security personnel. Balochistan recorded 372 deaths, up 241 percent from 109 in June, while mainland KP recorded 154, compared with 75 in June, a 105 percent increase.
