Rawalpindi, November 18, 2025: Twenty-three militants linked to the Indian-backed extremist network “Al Khwarij” were killed in two separate intelligence-based operations carried out by security forces in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on November 16 and 17, the military’s media wing said on Tuesday.
According to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), security forces launched the first operation in Bajaur district after receiving reports of militant presence in the area. During the engagement, troops targeted the militants’ hideout with precision, killing 11 militants, including their ring leader Sajjad alias Abuzar.
In a separate intelligence-driven operation in Bannu district, security forces neutralised 12 more militants, the ISPR said.
Following the operations, sanitisation efforts are underway in both districts to ensure the elimination of any remaining militants linked to the “Indian-sponsored” group.
The ISPR reaffirmed that Pakistan’s security forces and law enforcement agencies will continue the relentless counterterrorism campaign under the ‘Azm-e-Istehkam’ initiative, approved by the Federal Apex Committee on the National Action Plan.
The statement reiterated that the campaign will persist “at full pace” to eradicate all forms of foreign-sponsored terrorism and restore lasting peace and stability across the country.
