ISLAMABAD: Security forces have eliminated seven India-backed militants in an intelligence-based operation (IBO) in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s North Waziristan district, security sources said on Friday.
According to the sources, the operation was conducted under the vision of Azm-e-Istehkam to target militants identified as Fitna al-Khwarij. Several militant hideouts were also destroyed during the action.
A cache of weapons and ammunition was recovered from the slain militants, the sources added.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif praised the security forces for their successful operation, commending their efforts to combat terrorism and maintain peace and stability in the country.
The latest development follows another operation a day earlier, in which security forces reportedly killed nine Fitna al-Khwarij militants in different parts of North Waziristan. The operations were carried out in Palangzai, Nadeem Kot and Kot Khazri, according to security sources.
Militant attacks surge across Pakistan
Pakistan has experienced a sustained increase in militant violence, particularly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, since the Afghan Taliban returned to power in Afghanistan in 2021.
The country recorded its highest monthly tally of militant attacks in 12 years in September 2026, according to data released by the Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies (PICSS).
The Islamabad-based independent think tank reported 225 militant attacks nationwide during September, up from 199 in August, representing a 13% increase. The rise marked the third consecutive month in which militant attacks had increased.
Islamabad has repeatedly called on the Afghan authorities to prevent armed groups from using Afghan territory to launch attacks inside Pakistan.
Pakistani officials maintain that the Afghan Taliban administration has not taken adequate measures against organisations allegedly involved in attacks on Pakistani security personnel and civilians.
Despite several rounds of negotiations, Pakistan and Afghanistan have been unable to bridge their differences. The presence and alleged activities of militant groups operating from Afghan territory remain a key source of tension between the neighbouring countries.
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