North Waziristan IBOs Kill 11 Terrorists, ISPR Says
Security forces killed 11 terrorists during intelligence-based operations in the Datta Khel area of North Waziristan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the military’s media wing said on Sunday. The operations were carried out over the previous 48 hours as part of intensified counterterrorism action in one of Pakistan’s most sensitive border districts.
According to the Inter-Services Public Relations, security personnel engaged multiple militant positions in the area after receiving intelligence about their presence. The action led to heavy exchanges of fire, after which 11 militants were reported dead and the targeted locations were secured by troops.
The ISPR said weapons and ammunition were recovered from the slain terrorists, adding that they had been involved in several militant activities in the region. Officials said follow-up clearance activity was continuing to locate any remaining armed elements and prevent regrouping in nearby hideouts.
In its official statement, the military described the dead militants as belonging to Fitna-al-Khawarij, the term used by the state for the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan. The ISPR said the counterterrorism drive would continue under the Azm-i-Istehkam framework, which was approved under the National Action Plan’s federal apex mechanism.
The latest operation comes only days after the military reported another major action in North Waziristan, where 22 terrorists were killed in a separate engagement. These successive operations indicate that security forces are focusing on dismantling militant networks that remain active in remote and mountainous areas close to the Pak-Afghan border.
North Waziristan has long been one of the focal points of Pakistan’s counterterrorism campaign. The district has seen repeated operations, militant movement and attacks on security forces, especially in areas where difficult terrain allows armed groups to hide, shift positions and attempt cross-border movement.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan have both witnessed a rise in militant attacks in recent years, with police, military personnel and civilians frequently targeted. Security officials have repeatedly warned that armed groups are attempting to exploit border instability and local terrain to carry out attacks against the state.
The Datta Khel operation is significant because it signals continuing pressure on militant networks after recent attacks and earlier clearance campaigns. For local communities, such operations can bring temporary disruption but are also aimed at reducing the threat of roadside attacks, ambushes and intimidation by armed groups.
Authorities are expected to continue sanitisation operations in the area and monitor possible escape routes. The outcome of these actions will be closely watched as Pakistan seeks to prevent militant regrouping and restore lasting security across the merged tribal districts.