Security forces have neutralised at least 74 India-backed terrorists in multiple intelligence-based operations (IBOs) carried out in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said on Friday.
The military’s media wing, in a statement, said that IBOs were carried out in the Kurram area of Quetta district, as well as in Mir Ali and Orakzai areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
The ISPR said security forces conducted a comprehensive intelligence-based area sanitisation operation in the Kurram area of Quetta district against Fitna al-Khawarij and Fitna al-Hindustan militants from November 3 onwards as part of their ongoing counterterrorism campaign in Balochistan.
“During the conduct of these intelligence-based operations, multiple terrorist hideouts were effectively engaged, and after multiple engagements, 31 India-sponsored Khawarij were sent to hell. Weapons, ammunition and explosives were also recovered from the Khawarij locations,” the ISPR said.
In separate IBOs, the military said security forces neutralised 43 India-backed terrorists in Mir Ali and Orakzai areas over the past 48 hours
“In a determined effort to eliminate terrorist threats and dismantle the terrorist networks, security forces are conducting a series of intelligence-based operations in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. These operations have been further expanded to the areas of Mir Ali and Orakzai,” it said.
“Over the last 48 hours, during the conduct of these series of IBOs, troops effectively engaged multiple khwarij locations. Following intense and fierce exchanges of fire, 35 khwarij belonging to Indian-sponsored Fitna-al Khwarij have been neutralised in Mir Ali and eight khwarij were sent to hell in Orakzai, thereby inflicting a significant blow to the khwarij networks operating in these areas,” the ISPR added.
The military said that a huge cache of weapons, ammunition and explosives, including homemade explosives and improvised explosive devices were also recovered during sanitisation, thwarting Khwarij nefarious designs to use these materials in terrorist activities.
Sanitisation operations continue to eliminate holed-up Khawarij from these areas, as a relentless counter-terrorism campaign under the vision “Azm-e-Istehkam by security forces and law enforcement agencies will continue at full pace to wipe out the menace of foreign-sponsored and supported terrorism from the country.
Pakistan has witnessed a surge in terror activities, particularly in its KP and Balochistan provinces, since 2021, when the Afghan Taliban came into power.
According to a report by the Centre for Research and Security Studies (CRSS), the two provinces remained the country’s main hotspots for violence during the second quarter of 2026, with KP emerging as the worst-affected region.
The report stated that KP and Balochistan together accounted for nearly 96% of all violence-related fatalities recorded during the quarter. Of the total deaths, more than 61% (475) were reported in KP, while Balochistan accounted for 34% (265).
KP also recorded the highest number of violent incidents, with 151 cases, representing 57% of the nationwide total. Balochistan followed with 94 incidents, or 35%, underscoring the concentration of militant activity in the two provinces.
