RAWALPINDI: Security forces gunned down two terrorists including a “high value target” during an intelligence-based operation (IBO) in Timergara area of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Lower Dir district, the military’s media wing said on Friday.
The Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) said the IBO was conducted on reported presence of khawarij (terrorists).
“During the conduct of operation, own troops surrounded and effectively engaged the Khawarij location, and after intense fire exchange, two Khawarij, including a high value target, Kharji Hafeezullah alias Kochwan, were sent to hell,” a brief statement released by the ISPR read.
The armed forces’ media wing stated that Hafeezullah was involved in numerous terrorist activities against the security forces as well as the innocent civilians.
“He was highly wanted by the law enforcement agencies and government had fixed head money of Rs10 million on him,” it added.
The ISPR said sanitisation operation was being conducted to eliminate any other terrorists found in the area “as the security forces of Pakistan are determined to wipe out the menace of terrorism from the country”.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif paid tribute to the security forces for their successful operation in Lower Dir, resulting in the elimination of terrorists.
In a statement, the prime minister reiterated the government’s resolve to thwart the nefarious designs of the enemies of humanity. He said that the fight against terrorism would continue until the complete eradication of this menace from the country.
The issue of terrorism remains a key issue for Pakistan which has long been asking Afghanistan to stop terrorists from using its soil, however terrorists continue to infiltrate into the former’s territory through the border and carry out cross border attacks as well.
The two nations share a porous border spanning around 2,500 kilometres with several crossing points which hold significance as a key element of regional trade and relations between the people across both sides of the fence.
Islamabad’s reservations have also been confirmed by a report submitted to the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) by the Analytical Support and Sanctions Monitoring Team, which has revealed a nexus between Kabul and the TTP with the former providing logistical, operational and financial support to the latter.
Last month, at least 16 terrorists were killed by security forces during an attempt to cross into Pakistan from Afghanistan in the general area of Ghulam Khan Kallay of North Waziristan district.
Security forces detected a group of terrorists attempting to cross the Afghan border in North Waziristan’s Ghulam Khan Kallay area.
The country witnessed a sharp increase in terror attacks in January 2025, surging by 42% compared to the previous month, according to data released by the Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies (PICSS), a think tank.
The data revealed that at least 74 militant attacks were recorded nationwide, resulting in 91 fatalities, including 35 security personnel, 20 civilians, and 36 militants. Another 117 individuals sustained injuries, including 53 security forces personnel, 54 civilians, and 10 militants.
KP remained the worst-affected province, followed by Balochistan. In KP’s settled districts, militants carried out 27 attacks, resulting in 19 fatalities, including 11 security personnel, six civilians, and two militants.
The tribal districts of KP (erstwhile Fata) witnessed 19 attacks, leading to 46 deaths, including 13 security personnel, eight civilians, and 25 militants.
