Security forces killed five terrorists in two separate engagements in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Tank and Dera Ismail Khan districts, said the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) on Friday.

In Tank district, an intelligence-based operation was conducted on the reported presence of khwarij.

“During conduct of the operation, own troops effectively engaged khwarij location and after intense exchange of fire, four khwarij, belonging to Indian-sponsored Fitna-al-Khwarij were sent to hell,” said the military media wing.

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

In another IBO conducted in DI Khan district, a terrorist was killed during a firefight with security forces.

The ISPR said the IBOs were conducted on May 7-8.

“Weapons and ammunition have also been recovered from killed Indian sponsored khwarij, who remained actively involved in numerous terrorist activities in the area.”

A sanitisation operation is being conducted to eliminate any other khawarij found in the area, the ISPR statement added.

The country’s “relentless” counter terrorism campaign under vision ‘Azm-i-Istekham’ “will continue at full pace to wipe out the menace of foreign-sponsored and supported terrorism from the country,” said the ISPR, adding that the sacrifice of innocent civilians further strengthened resolve.

There has been a resurgence in terrorism in Pakistan since the Afghan Taliban returned to power in Kabul in 2021.

Islamabad has repeatedly urged the Taliban administration to dismantle terrorist sanctuaries on Afghan soil, particularly those linked to the banned TTP. Officials say those appeals have gone unheeded.