Security Forces Kill 23 Terrorists in KP Operations: ISPR
Security forces killed 23 terrorists during multiple intelligence-based operations in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa over the past 48 hours, the military’s media wing said on Thursday night. The operations were carried out in Datta Khel, Spinwam and Bannu, areas that remain central to Pakistan’s continuing counterterrorism campaign.
According to the Inter-Services Public Relations, troops engaged several militant locations during the operations, leading to intense exchanges of fire. The military said the slain militants belonged to the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan network, which the state refers to as Fitna-al-Khwarij.
Among those killed was Jan Meer, also known as Toor Saqib, described by the ISPR as a ring leader wanted by security forces. Officials said his death would weaken militant networks operating in the affected areas, particularly because he had allegedly been involved in attacks on security personnel and civilians.
The ISPR said the government had placed a bounty on Jan Meer due to his alleged role in several terrorist activities. The military statement added that security forces also discovered and destroyed a series of underground tunnels and bunkers used by militants to shelter, move and resist operations.
Weapons, ammunition and a large quantity of explosives, including improvised explosive devices, were recovered during the clearance actions. Officials said sanitisation operations were continuing to remove any remaining militants from the area and prevent surviving fighters from regrouping.
The latest operations come amid a broader rise in militant violence across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan. Pakistan has intensified intelligence-based actions in recent months as attacks on law enforcement personnel, security forces and civilians continue to create pressure on local communities and state institutions.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has remained one of the most affected provinces because of its border geography, difficult terrain and history of militant movement. Districts such as North Waziristan, Bannu and adjoining areas have repeatedly seen security operations, ambushes and militant hideouts linked to networks operating on both sides of the Pakistan-Afghanistan border.
The security challenge has also shaped Pakistan’s regional diplomacy. Islamabad has repeatedly urged the Afghan Taliban authorities to prevent militant sanctuaries on Afghan soil, especially those linked to the banned TTP, while officials continue to argue that cross-border facilitation has contributed to attacks inside Pakistan.
For Pakistan, the impact of such operations extends beyond immediate battlefield gains. Restoring security in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is critical for civilian movement, local business confidence, governance, education and development work in districts that have repeatedly faced fear, displacement and disruption.
The next phase will depend on the outcome of ongoing sanitisation operations and whether security forces can dismantle remaining support networks in the targeted areas. Authorities say the counterterrorism campaign under Azm-e-Istehkam will continue as part of the wider national effort to eliminate militant threats and protect civilians.