Pakistani security forces neutralized 71 terrorists near the Pakistan-Afghanistan border in a series of successful operations conducted from April 25 to 27, safeguarding national security and thwarting potential threats, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) stated on Monday.
The military’s media wing reported that on the night of April 27-28, security forces carried out a deliberate sanitization operation in the areas surrounding Hassan Khel, North Waziristan District (NWD), along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border.
This significant terrorist death toll follows successful engagements by the security forces in NWD between April 25 and 27, during which 54 “khwarij” were eliminated. In these earlier actions, security forces successfully foiled an attempt by terrorists to infiltrate Pakistan from Afghanistan, killing at least 54 of them.
During the operation conducted on the subsequent night, an additional 17 “khwarij,” who were described by the military’s media wing in a brief statement as “operating at the behest of their Indian masters,” were tracked down and successfully neutralized.
The statement further detailed that weapons, ammunition, and explosives were also recovered from the killed “khwarij.” The total number of “khwarij” killed in the three-day counter-terrorism operation has now reached 71, the ISPR added.
“The security forces remain committed to securing the nation’s frontiers and thwarting attempts at sabotaging the peace, stability, and progress of Pakistan,” the ISPR statement affirmed.
In a prior statement, the ISPR highlighted that such actions by terrorists, coinciding with baseless accusations being leveled against Pakistan by India, clearly indicate at whose instigation they are operating. “Such actions amount to treason and betrayal against the state and its citizens,” the statement asserted.
Referring to the meeting of the Parliamentary Committee on National Security, the ISPR emphasized that the strategic intent of India appears to be to distract Pakistan’s security forces from their focus on the war against terror, thereby providing a respite to terrorists “who are reeling from the onslaught of our armed forces’ resolute offensive against them.”
The statement underscored that this was the highest number of terrorists neutralized by the security forces in a single engagement throughout the entire counter-terrorism campaign.
“Fitna Al Khawarij” is a term used by the state to refer to the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), which is reportedly launching attacks into the country from Afghan territory.
The two nations share a porous border stretching approximately 2,500 kilometers with multiple crossing points that are significant for regional trade and the relationships between people on both sides.
However, the issue of terrorism remains a key concern for Pakistan, which has urged Afghanistan to prevent its soil from being used by groups like the TTP to conduct attacks within Pakistani territory.
Islamabad’s concerns have been corroborated by a report submitted to the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) by the Analytical Support and Sanctions Monitoring Team, which revealed a connection between Kabul and the TTP, with the former providing logistical, operational, and financial support to the latter.
Earlier this month, at least eight terrorists were neutralized when security forces successfully thwarted their attempt to infiltrate through the Pakistan-Afghanistan border in North Waziristan district.
The country experienced a sharp 42% increase in terror attacks in January 2025 compared to the previous month, according to data from the Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies (PICSS), a think tank.
The data indicated that at least 74 militant attacks occurred nationwide, resulting in 91 deaths, including 35 security personnel, 20 civilians, and 36 militants. Additionally, 117 individuals were injured, including 53 security forces personnel, 54 civilians, and 10 militants.
