- Taliban regime failed to stop militants from using Afghan soil: ISPR
- The military warns of operations against perpetrators, regardless of their location.
- IBO followed up the Bajaur attack on February 17, killing 11 personnel.
Security forces shot dead five terrorists belonging to the Indian-backed ‘Fitna al-Khwarij’ group during an intelligence-based operation (IBO) in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Bannu district, while two soldiers, including a lieutenant colonel, embraced martyrdom after their convoy was attacked by militants, Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said on Saturday.
The army’s media wing stated that the operation was carried out following reports of the presence of terrorists, including a suicide bomber.
A suicide bomber traveling in a vehicle was intercepted by the lead group, foiling their plan to attack innocent civilians or law enforcement personnel in Bannu City and averting a major catastrophe, the military said.
During the operation, the terrorists were located and after an intense exchange of fire, the security forces killed five militants. In a desperate act, the terrorists rammed a vehicle loaded with explosives into one of the leading group’s vehicles.
“As a result, Lieutenant Colonel Shahzada Gul Faraz (43), a resident of Mansehra district and a brave commander known for his daring leadership on the front, embraced shahadat along with Sepoy Karamat Shah (28), a resident of Peshawar district,” the ISPR added.
The military’s media wing said the Afghan Taliban regime has once again failed to stop militants from using Afghan soil for terrorist activities inside Pakistan, even during the holy month of Ramadan.
“Pakistan will not exercise any restraint and operations will continue against the perpetrators of this heinous and cowardly act irrespective of their location,” the ISPR added.
The statement further said, “The counter-terrorism campaign under the Azm-e-Istehkam Vision by Pakistan’s security forces and law enforcement agencies will continue at full pace to eliminate the menace of foreign-sponsored terrorism. The sacrifices of our brave soldiers further reinforce our unwavering commitment to safeguard the nation at all costs.”
The IBO followed a terror attack in Bajaur district on February 17, carried out by Indian representatives, in which 11 personnel embraced martyrdom while 12 militants were gunned down by security forces.
Since the Taliban regained control of Afghanistan in 2021, Pakistan has seen an increase in cross-border terrorist activity, particularly in the provinces of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and Balochistan, which share a border with Afghanistan.
In a press conference held on January 6, ISPR Director General Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry revealed that a total of 75,175 intelligence-based operations (IBOs) were carried out across the country in 2025 by law enforcement agencies.
Breaking it down by region, he stated that KP witnessed 14,658 IBOs, Balochistan accounted for 58,778 and the remaining 1,739 operations were carried out in other parts of Pakistan.
Lt. Gen. Chaudhry reported that a total of 5,397 terrorist incidents took place across the country last year. KP accounted for the majority with 3,811 incidents, Balochistan recorded 1,557 and only 29 incidents were reported in the rest of the country.
He added that counter-terrorism operations resulted in the elimination of 2,597 terrorists during the year. Highlighting the impact of these attacks, he detailed 10 major terrorist incidents against civilians and other soft targets, all of which involved militants operating from Afghanistan.
