Security forces eliminated four terrorists during a joint intelligence-based operation (IBO) in the Swat district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Friday, according to a statement by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the military’s media wing.
The operation was launched based on intelligence reports about the presence of militants in the area. “During the operation, our troops effectively engaged the terrorist hideout, resulting in four militants being killed,” the ISPR said, referring to the militants as khwarij, a term used for terrorists.
Weapons and ammunition were recovered from the slain individuals, who were reportedly involved in several terrorist attacks in the region.
A follow-up clearance operation is underway to ensure no other threats remain in the area. The ISPR reiterated the commitment of the armed forces and law enforcement agencies to eradicate terrorism from the country.
Pakistan has seen a resurgence in terrorist attacks, particularly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, since the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) ended its ceasefire with the government in November 2022.
A day earlier, in another operation in Dera Ismail Khan district of KP, security forces also killed four terrorists. The raid, conducted in the Maddi area, came at the cost of a soldier’s life. Sepoy Basit Siddique, 23, was martyred during the exchange of fire, the ISPR confirmed.
According to a recent report by the Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies (PICSS), militant violence surged in March, with over 100 attacks recorded — the highest monthly figure since November 2014. In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa alone, 206 people were killed during the month, including 49 security personnel, 34 civilians, and 123 militants. Another 115 were injured, among them 63 security personnel and 49 civilians.
