Pakistan forces kill 13 militants in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa operations

Pakistani security forces said they killed 13 militants in two separate operations in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province on 13-14 January, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said in a statement on Thursday.

In Bannu District, an intelligence-led operation targeted a group of “Indian-backed militants” affiliated with the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).

The operation resulted in eight militants being killed following an intense exchange of gunfire.

Pakistani authorities have in recent months used terms such as Fitna al-Khawarij and Fitna al-Hindustan to describe militants they allege are supported by foreign actors, including India, linking cross-border influence to unrest in the country.

A second operation in Kurram District similarly targeted militants, killing five more, ISPR said. Both operations were part of ongoing counter-terrorism efforts aimed at dismantling insurgent networks and restoring stability in the region.

ISPR added that sanitization operations are continuing to eliminate any remaining militants “sponsored or supported by India,” as part of Pakistan’s broader “Azm-e-Istehkam” initiative. Approved by the Federal Apex Committee on the National Action Plan, the campaign seeks to eradicate foreign-backed terrorism across the country.

The Pakistani military stated that these operations are essential to counter cross-border terrorism and maintain security in the volatile areas along the Afghanistan border.