During the night between October 23 and 24, security forces eliminated nine terrorists, including two suicide bombers and a ringleader, in an intelligence-based operation (IBO) in the Bajaur district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
The militants, referred to as “khawarij,” were neutralized in an operation that targeted high-value terrorist leader Said Muhammad, also known as “Qureshi Ustad,” following a fierce exchange of gunfire, according to a statement from the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) on Thursday.
The operation is part of ongoing efforts to clear the area of militants. Security forces recovered a large cache of weapons, ammunition, and explosives from the terrorists. The militants had been actively involved in various attacks against both security forces and innocent civilians.
The ISPR reaffirmed the military’s commitment to eradicating terrorism from the country.
This operation follows other recent actions against militants. Last week, five terrorists were arrested in an IBO in Balochistan’s Poshin district, while two others were killed in a separate operation in Zhob district. These operations are part of a broader effort by the government, security forces, and law enforcement agencies to combat the growing threat of terrorism.
According to a third-quarter report by the Centre for Research and Security Studies (CRSS), the total number of fatalities due to terrorism this year has surpassed the total for all of 2023, with 1,534 deaths compared to 1,523 last year. In the third quarter alone, 722 people were killed, including civilians, security personnel, and militants, and 615 others were wounded in 328 recorded incidents. Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa remain the most affected regions in the country’s ongoing fight against terrorism.
