Rawalpindi, November 13,2026: Security forces have neutralised at least 74 India-backed terrorists in multiple intelligence-based operations (IBOs) conducted in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said on Friday.
According to a statement issued by the military’s media wing, the operations were carried out in the Kurram area of Quetta district, as well as in Mir Ali and Orakzai districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
The ISPR said security forces launched a comprehensive intelligence-based area sanitisation operation in the Kurram area of Quetta district against militants belonging to Fitna al-Khawarij and Fitna al-Hindustan on November 3 as part of the ongoing counterterrorism campaign in Balochistan.
“During the conduct of these intelligence-based operations, multiple terrorist hideouts were effectively engaged, and after multiple engagements, 31 India-sponsored Khawarij were sent to hell,” the statement said, adding that weapons, ammunition and explosives were also recovered from the militants’ hideouts.
In separate operations in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, security forces neutralised another 43 India-backed militants in Mir Ali and Orakzai over the past 48 hours.
The ISPR said the operations were expanded to these areas as part of efforts to eliminate terrorist threats and dismantle militant networks operating in the province.
“Following intense and fierce exchanges of fire, 35 Khawarij belonging to Indian-sponsored Fitna al-Khawarij have been neutralised in Mir Ali, while eight Khawarij were sent to hell in Orakzai,” the statement said.
The military added that a large cache of weapons, ammunition and explosives, including homemade explosives and improvised explosive devices (IEDs), was recovered during the sanitisation operations, thwarting plans to use the materials in terrorist activities.
Sanitisation operations are continuing to eliminate any remaining militants in the areas, the ISPR said, adding that the counterterrorism campaign under the vision of “Azm-e-Istehkam” would continue at full pace to eliminate foreign-sponsored terrorism from the country.
Pakistan has witnessed an increase in terrorist activities, particularly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, since 2021, when the Afghan Taliban returned to power in Afghanistan.
According to a report by the Centre for Research and Security Studies (CRSS), the two provinces remained the country’s main hotspots for violence during the second quarter of 2026, with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa emerging as the worst-affected region.
The report stated that the two provinces together accounted for nearly 96 per cent of all violence-related fatalities recorded during the quarter. Of the total deaths, more than 61 per cent (475) were reported in KP, while Balochistan accounted for 34 per cent (265).
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa also recorded the highest number of violent incidents, with 151 cases, representing 57 per cent of the nationwide total. Balochistan followed with 94 incidents, accounting for 35 per cent.
