Security forces have killed 13 terrorists in five separate operations across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the military’s media affairs wing said on Sunday.

“On March 6-7, security forces conducted a series of high-tempo intelligence-driven operations, part of relentless counter-terrorism campaign, wherein 13 khawarij belonging to Indian proxy Fitna Al Khawarij were killed in five separate engagements in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa,” the Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) said.

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

According to ISPR, five terrorists were killed in the Bajaur district after an intense fire exchange when troops “effectively engaged the khawarij location” during an intelligence-based operation (IBO).

In two other encounters in Bannu and Dera Ismail Khan districts, three terrorists “belonging to Indian proxy Fitna Al Khawarij were successfully neutralised”, the press release said.

“Simultaneously, in two separate engagements in Khyber and South Waziristan districts, own troops effectively neutralised five more khawarij,” it added.

ISPR stated that weapons and ammunition were also recovered from the “Indian-sponsored killed khawarij, who remained actively involved in numerous terrorist activities in the area”.

“It is imperative to highlight that these operations are being conducted concurrently as Pakistan continues to counter emerging challenges along its borders with Afghanistan,” ISPR noted.

“The security forces of Pakistan remain resolute and unwavering in their commitment to defend the nation’s frontiers,” the military reaffirmed.

Sanitisation operations were being conducted to “eliminate any other Indian-sponsored khariji found in the area”.

ISPR noted that a “relentless counter-terrorism campaign under vision ‘Azm-i-Istehkam’ (as approved by Federal Apex Committee on National Action Plan) by security forces and law enforcement agencies (LEAs) of Pakistan will continue at full pace to wipe out the menace of foreign-sponsored and supported terrorism from the country”.

President Asif Ali Zardari commended the security forces for eliminating the terrorists, state-run APP reported.

The president lauded the professional capabilities of the security forces during the operations in Bajaur, Bannu, DI Khan, Khyber and South Waziristan, the media wing of President’s Secretariat said in a press release.

President Zardari underlined that operations against “Indian-backed Fitna al Khawarij terrorists were significant for securing peace in the country”.

Terror resurgence and intensified operations

KP has seen a rise in terrorist attacks in the past year.

According to the Annual Security Report 2025 from the Centre for Research and Security Studies (CRSS), KP recorded a significant surge in violence last year as “fatalities rose from 1,620 in 2024 to 2,331 in 2025”.

This marked an “absolute increase of 711 deaths, accounting for over 82 per cent of the net national rise and marking almost a 44pc year-on-year surge in violence in the province”.

Due to a resurgence of militancy, especially in KP and Balochistan, where attacks often target security personnel and LEAs, the state has intensified counter-terrorism operations.

On February 24, 26 terrorists belonging to Fitna Al Khawarij were killed in four separate engagements in KP, while eight terrorists belonging to Fitna Al Hindustan were killed in an operation in Balochistan’s Sambaza.

The term Fitna-al-Hindustan has been designated by the state for Balochistan-based groups to highlight India’s alleged role in terrorism and destabilisation across Pakistan.

On February 23, security forces killed four terrorists in KP’s DI Khan, and five, including a suicide bomber, in Balochistan’s Pishin.

These operations came after a lieutenant colonel and a sepoy were martyred in a suicide attack during an IBO in Bannu.