In two separate operations targeting Fitna al Khawarij, security forces successfully neutralized two terrorists and apprehended five others in Balochistan’s Pishin and Zhob districts, the military’s media wing, ISPR, confirmed on Saturday.
The banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) has been designated as Fitna al Khawarij by the government since July, with a directive for all institutions to refer to them as “khariji” (outcasts). This classification applies to those responsible for terrorist activities against Pakistan.
According to the ISPR, an intelligence-based operation was launched in Pishin, where five khawarij were arrested, and a significant cache of weapons, explosives, and suicide vests was recovered. The militants had reportedly been involved in multiple terrorist activities and were planning further attacks on security forces and civilians.
In a separate incident in Zhob, two terrorists were killed during an exchange of fire. Weapons and ammunition were recovered from the area following the encounter.
The ISPR reaffirmed the security forces’ unwavering commitment to eliminating terrorism and ensuring the safety of Pakistani citizens.
Leaders commend forces’ efforts
President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif hailed the successful operations, praising the professionalism of the security forces. In their statements, both leaders emphasized the nation’s solidarity with the military in combating terrorism. President Zardari reiterated the state’s determination to continue operations against terrorist groups, expressing pride in the forces’ valor.
The operations come amid a surge in attacks targeting security forces, particularly in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, following the TTP’s withdrawal from a ceasefire agreement in 2022.
Just last week, 21 miners were killed and six injured in an attack on a coal mine in Balochistan’s Duki area. The province has faced a series of terror attacks, with August witnessing deadly incidents that claimed at least 50 lives.
