Security forces have neutralised 23 Indian proxy Fitna al-Khawarij terrorists in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's (KP) Kurram district, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) reported Thursday.

 

“Fitna al-Khawarij” is the term used by the state to refer to banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).

 

As per the details of the operations, the military’s media wing said that 12 terrorists were neutralised after an intense exchange of fire during a targeted operation conducted on reported presence of militants.

 

“Capitalising on intelligence with respect to presence of another group of khawarij, in same general area, in another intelligence-based operation, own troops successfully neutralised 11 more,” the ISPR said.

 

Noting that sanitisation operations were being conducted to eliminate any other terrorists in the area, it stressed that Pakistan would continue at full pace to wipeout menace of foreign-sponsored and supported terrorism under the ongoing counterterrorism campaign.

 

The development comes amid series of anti-terror ops carried out by security forces across the country resulting in the elimination of dozens of terrorists in recent days.

 

A day earlier, the ISPR announced killing of four terrorists in KP from November 17 to 18 — of which one was gunned down in Bajaur, two in Spinwam and Zakir Khel and one in Dera Ismail Khan district.

 

Before that, 23 militants were neutralised in two IBOs in Bajaur and Bannu between November 16 and 17.

 

Forces also killed 10 terrorists in Kulachi and another five in Datta Khel. The killed terrorists included commander Alam Mehsud, who led the India-backed network in the region.