Security forces killed eight terrorists during an intelligence-based operation (IBO) in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Bannu district, said a statement by the military’s media wing on Saturday.

The IBO was conducted on November 21, according to a statement by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) on the reported presence of khawarij belonging to Indian-proxy Fitna-al-Khawarij.

Fitna-al-Khawarij is a term the state uses for terrorists belonging to the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).

Weapons and ammunition were also recovered from the “Indian-sponsored *khawarij”*, as per ISPR, “who remained actively involved in numerous terrorist activities against the security forces, LEAs and target-killing of innocent civilians.”

“The operation underscores the strengthened collaborative efforts between [LEAs] and security forces, who have significantly intensified intelligence-driven operations in the region,” said ISPR.

“These meticulously coordinated and synchronised security measures are designed to constrict the operational mobility of khawarij elements, systematically dismantle their facilitation networks, and curtail their capacity to reorganise,” the statement stressed, adding that operations are producing “substantial and measurable success” with continuous efforts to achieve more peace and stability.

“Sanitisation operation is being conducted to eliminate any other Indian-sponsored khawariji found in the area, as the relentless counter-terrorism campaign under vision Azm-i-Istehkam (as approved by the Federal Apex Committee on National Action Plan) by security forces and [LEAs] of Pakistan will continue at full pace to wipe out the menace of foreign-sponsored and supported terrorism from the country,” ISPR added.

Pakistan has witnessed a surge in terror activities, particularly in KP and Balochistan. The spike in incidents followed the proscribed Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan ending a ceasefire with the government in November 2022 and vowing to attack security forces, police, and personnel of LEAs.

Earlier today, a terrorist plot to blow up Dawa bridge in Bannu’s Basia Khel area using an improvised explosive device (IED) was foiled.

Yesterday, seven people were killed when a peace committee office was attacked in Bannu, according to police. Police officials had told Dawn that one among those killed was a ‘good Taliban’ — a term used to refer to a former militant who has surrendered to the state — and the rest were his relatives.