Security Forces Kill 13 Milit@nts in KP’s Dera Ismail Khan: ISPR

Operation Targets Group Linked to Fitna al Khwarij

Pakistani security forces killed 13 milit@nts during an intelligence-based operation (IBO) in the Daraban area of Dera Ismail Khan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The military’s media wing confirmed the operation in a statement on Wednesday.

Milit@nts Involved in Past Violence

According to ISPR, the group belonged to Fitna al Khwarij, a term used for banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). The milit@nts were linked to a December 2023 suicide att@ck, the abduction of government officials, and targeted killings of civilians. Troops recovered weapons and ammunition from their hideout after the engagement.

Sanitisation Operation Underway

A follow-up sanitisation drive is ongoing to clear the area of any remaining threats. The army stressed that it remains determined to eliminate Indian-sponsored milit@ncy across the country.

Earlier Operation in Same District

On September 21, security personnel conducted a similar IBO in Kulachi, also in Dera Ismail Khan. That operation killed seven milit@nts, including three Afghan nationals. The ISPR said Pakistan expects the interim Afghan government to stop the use of its soil for cross-border extremi$m.