Security forces kill 22 terrorists during sanitisation operation in North Waziristan

• Troops engage militants after credible intel leads in Shewa area.
• Weapons, ammunition recovered from killed khawarij in operation.
• Sanitisation op continues as area remains fully cordoned: ISPR.

Security forces have neutralised 22 terrorists during a sanitisation operation commenced on May 17 based on credible intelligence leads regarding the presence of India-sponsored militants in North Waziristan’s Shewa area, the Inter-Services Public Relations said on Tuesday.

The military’s media wing said security forces eliminated “22 khawarij, belonging to India-sponsored Fitna-al-Khwarij” during the past 24 hours, following an intense exchange of fire after they effectively engaged the terrorists’ location.

“Weapons and ammunition have also been recovered” from the killed terrorists, who remained actively involved in numerous terrorist activities in the area, it said, adding: “Presently the sanitisation operation is in progress and the area has been effectively cordoned off by security forces.”

The army revealed that evidence further confirmed that the terrorists coerced and intimidated the local population, forcing their compliance to obtain safe passage, using them as human shields.

“Such deplorable acts are highly condemnable and no justification can rationalise the endangerment of public lives,” it added.

The army vowed that the sanitisation operation will continue to eliminate holed up khwarijfrom the area, adding that the “relentless counter-terrorism campaign under vision ‘Azm e Istehkam’ (as approved by Federal Apex Committee on National Action Plan) by security forces and law enforcement agencies will continue at full pace to wipe out the menace of foreign-sponsored and -supported terrorism from the country.”

Pakistan has seen a sharp increase in cross-border terrorist incidents, particularly in the bordering provinces of KP and Balochistan, since the Afghan Taliban grabbed power in Afghanistan in 2021.

Islamabad has repeatedly urged Kabul to prevent its soil from being used by terrorist organisations to carry out attacks inside its territory.

However, the Afghan Taliban regime refused to act against terror groups involved in countless attacks on Pakistani security forces and civilians.

Pakistan launched Operation Ghazab lil-Haq in February this year, months after the two countries agreed to a ceasefire in October 2025, following clashes triggered by unprovoked gunfire by the Afghan Taliban regime at multiple border points.

Despite many rounds of talks, both countries have so far failed to reach an agreement due to the Afghan Taliban regime’s reluctance to take action against terrorist outfits operating from its soil.