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ISLAMABAD: Four terrorists were killed and four Pakistani soldiers were martyred on Thursday after security forces foiled a major terrorist attack on a military camp in North Waziristan in northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, the military said.&nbsp;According to a statement issued by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the attack took place on Dec 19 in the general area of Boya, North Waziristan district, when &ldquo;Khwarij belonging to Indian proxy Fitna al Khwarij&rdquo; attempted to breach the perimeter of a security forces camp.&nbsp;Islamabad uses the term &ldquo;Khawarij&rdquo; for the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), invoking a historical label for an extremist sect in early Islam that rejected legitimate authority and declared other Muslims to be apostates.&nbsp;&ldquo;In a heinous and cowardly terrorist act, Khwarij belonging to Indian proxy Fitna al Khwarij attacked a security forces camp,&rdquo; the ISPR said.&nbsp;The military said troops responded swiftly and prevented the attackers from entering the camp.&nbsp;After failing to penetrate the perimeter, the terrorists rammed an explosives-laden vehicle into the outer wall, causing its collapse and damaging nearby civilian infrastructure, including a mosque.&nbsp;&ldquo;This blatant act of barbarism inflicted severe injuries to 15 local civilians including innocent children and women,&rdquo; the statement said, adding that several homes were also damaged in the explosion.&nbsp;Security forces engaged the attackers and killed all four terrorists involved in the assault.&nbsp;&nbsp;&ldquo;Displaying unwavering courage and professional excellence, own troops engaged the intruders with precision,&rdquo; the ISPR said.&nbsp;During the intense exchange of fire, four soldiers embraced martyrdom. They were identified as Havildar Muhammad Waqas, 42, from Kotli district; Naik Khanwaiz, 38, from Mansehra; Sepoy Sufyan Haider, 25, from Vehari; and Sepoy Riffat, 32, from Leyyah.&nbsp;&ldquo;Having fought gallantly, these brave sons of soil paid the ultimate sacrifice and embraced Shahadat,&rdquo; the military said.&nbsp;The ISPR said the attack was planned and orchestrated by Afghanistan-based Khwarij, contradicting claims by the Afghan interim authorities regarding the absence of militant groups operating from their territory.&nbsp;Pakistan urged the interim Afghan government to fulfil its obligations and prevent the use of Afghan soil for terrorist activities against Pakistan. &ldquo;Pakistan reserves the right to hunt these Khwarij down and eliminate their facilitators and affiliates to ensure the safety of its people,&rdquo; the statement said.&nbsp;Militant violence has increased in Pakistan&rsquo;s northwestern regions in recent years, with Islamabad repeatedly stating that groups such as Fitna al Khwarij operate from cross-border sanctuaries and receive foreign support to carry out attacks inside Pakistan.

Security

ISPR says the attack was planned by Afghanistan-based Khwarij, contradicting Afghan interim authorities’ claims that militant groups do not operate from Afghan territory.

Four terrorists killed in North Waziristan attack, four Pakistani soldiers martyred

ISLAMABAD: Fifteen terrorists were killed in two intelligence-based operations (IBOs) carried out in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa&rsquo;s Dera Ismail Khan and North Waziristan districts on Nov. 15 and 16, according to a statement released&nbsp;on Tuesday&nbsp;by&nbsp;Pakistan&rsquo;s security forces. The military&#39;s media wing, Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), said that those killed were affiliated with the &ldquo;Indian proxy Fitna Al Khawarij.&rdquo; Pakistan uses the term &quot;Fitna Al Khawarij&quot; to refer to the proscribed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), an umbrella network of armed terrorist groups. According to the ISPR statement, the first operation took place in the Kulachi area of Dera Ismail Khan, where troops engaged a hideout after reports of the presence of terrorists in the vicinity. The engagement resulted in the killing of 10 terrorists, including their ring leader, Alam Mehsud. A second operation in Datta Khel, North Waziristan, where &quot;troops successfully neutralized five more khwarij,&quot; the statement said. &quot;Sanitization operations are being conducted to eliminate any other Indian sponsored kharji found in the area&quot;, ISPR said.&nbsp; The statement added that the counter-terrorism campaign, launched under the vision &ldquo;Azm-e-Istehkam,&rdquo; would continue with full force. &ldquo;Relentless counter-terrorism operations by Security Forces and Law Enforcement Agencies will continue at full pace to wipe out the menace of foreign-sponsored terrorism from the country,&rdquo; the ISPR said. President Asif Ali Zardari on Tuesday praised Pakistani security forces for eliminating the terrorists, saying the actions show Pakistan&rsquo;s resolve to defeat foreign-backed terrorism. In a message on X, the president commended the security forces for targeting what he called elements of the &ldquo;Indian-sponsored Fitna Al Khwarij.&rdquo; He said Pakistan, with national agreement, would continue its efforts under the Azm-e-Istehkam plan to end militancy. <div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; line-height: 2;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-2" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-2&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=1990651792653435231&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2Fnew%2F&sessionId=0ef9866f801f92ccb5415e7267a82e498bc0f879&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 321px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</iframe></div></div> The latest IBOs come a week after the ISPR said that at least 24 terrorists were killed by security forces in three separate engagements in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan provinces, including the recent attack targeting Cadet College Wana in South Waziristan district. Pakistan has seen a rise in terrorist activities, especially in&nbsp;Khyber Pakhtunkhwa&nbsp;and Balochistan. The surge began after the banned TTP ended its ceasefire with the government in November 2022 and vowed to target security forces and law enforcement officials.

File Photo - Pakistani troops (Radio Pakistan) 

Pakistan’s security forces said that 15 terrorists were killed in two intelligence-based operations (IBOs) carried out in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Dera Ismail Khan and North Waziristan districts on November 15 and 16 in a statement issued on Tuesday.

15 terrorists killed in two intelligence-based operations: military

Staff Reporter

PESHAWAR: Authorities in Pakistan&rsquo;s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province have issued a high weather alert for November 4 and 5, warning of heavy rain, thunderstorms, and snowfall in multiple districts already recovering from devastating floods earlier this year.&nbsp;The Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) said the incoming weather system poses a &ldquo;significant risk,&rdquo; particularly in mountainous areas weakened by the August 2025 cloudburst disaster that claimed nearly 400 lives across the province.&nbsp;&ldquo;This is not a routine weather advisory,&rdquo; the PDMA said in its alert. &ldquo;Given recent damage to terrain and infrastructure, even moderate rainfall may trigger landslides and disrupt mobility and essential services.&rdquo;&nbsp;The weather system is expected to affect nearly the entire province.&nbsp;Rain, thunderstorms, and snowfall are forecast in northern districts, including Upper and Lower Dir, Upper and Lower Chitral, Upper and Lower Kohistan, Shangla, Battagram, Mansehra, Abbottabad, Haripur, Buner, Malakand, Bajaur, and Mohmand.&nbsp;Rain and thunderstorms are also likely in central and southern areas, including Peshawar, Kohat, Charsadda, Nowshera, Mardan, Swabi, Khyber, Orakzai, Kurram, Hangu, Karak, Bannu, Lakki Marwat, North and South Waziristan, Tank, and Dera Ismail Khan.&nbsp;Saeda Saleh, a meteorologist with the Pakistan Meteorological Department, said the system is being driven by &ldquo;western winds,&rdquo; adding that authorities have urged the public to remain alert.&nbsp;&ldquo;People should stay cautious, especially in areas where the land is still unstable,&rdquo; she said.&nbsp;Officials fear that already weakened slopes in flood-affected districts could give way. The Met Office has explicitly warned of possible landslides in Abbottabad, Battagram, Dir, Chitral, Kohistan, Kurram, Shangla, and Swat, many of the same regions that were heavily impacted in August.&nbsp;In response, PDMA has directed all district administrations to activate emergency protocols, including &ldquo;cleaning of drainage systems to prevent urban flooding&rdquo; and ensuring &ldquo;full readiness of emergency response teams&rdquo; for rapid deployment. Authorities have also been instructed to issue timely alerts to residents and travelers, particularly in high-risk valleys.&nbsp;Residents have been strongly advised to avoid non-essential travel during the weather spell. Farmers and livestock owners, who suffered severe losses in the August floods, have been urged to move animals and stored crops to safer areas as a precautionary measure.&nbsp;PDMA said it will continue to monitor developments and provide further updates as the system approaches.

Climate & Environment

Pakistan’s disaster authority issued a high alert for November 4–5 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, warning of heavy rain, thunderstorms, and snowfall that could trigger landslides in flood-weakened mountain districts and disrupt essential services.

Landslides weather warning alert issued for Pakistan's north-west

Muhammad Usman Amin

PESHAWAR: With militant groups in northwestern Pakistan increasingly deploying drone technology to strike security forces and state installations, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) authorities have begun rolling out advanced anti-drone guns as part of a revised counter-terror response, senior police officials said.&nbsp;Militant outfits operating in KP have steadily expanded their use of quadcopter drones to launch attacks, shifting the conflict &ldquo;from a horizontal to a vertical level.&rdquo;&nbsp;Speaking to Pakistan TV Digital, Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Bannu Police Sajjad Khan said the drones being used are &ldquo;acquired through the black market and smuggled across the border from Afghanistan.&rdquo;&nbsp;According to internal estimates, 57 drone-assisted attacks were reported between July and August alone.&nbsp;Earlier this month, militants targeted the Khadi Fort of paramilitary forces in Mir Ali, North Waziristan. Before using a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device (VBIED), militants deployed drones to strike the compound and divert security personnel.&nbsp;In another incident in Bannu district, officials reported at least eight drone attacks over recent months, including one where an explosive drone missed its intended target and hit a nearby house, killing a woman and injuring three children.&nbsp;The drones, often commercially available quadcopters modified to carry explosives or mortar shells, have prompted a new defensive strategy.&nbsp;The KP police have begun equipping personnel with anti-drone guns designed to disrupt the communication link between a drone and its operator. These devices emit electromagnetic pulses that jam the drone&rsquo;s control, navigation, and video feed, forcing it to land safely and allowing for intelligence extraction.&nbsp;Sajjad Khan said the technology can disable suspicious drones from up to three kilometers away, providing protection for public gatherings, security convoys, and sensitive locations.&nbsp;The first operational deployment took place in July during the Ashura procession in Peshawar, where officials say the technology helped prevent attacks during an event historically vulnerable to violence.&nbsp;Initially, anti-drone systems are being deployed in Peshawar, Bannu, and Bajaur, districts that have seen a spike in militant activity.&nbsp;The Public Relations Officer (PRO) to the Inspector General of Police (IGP) KP, Riaz Khan, told Pakistan TV Digital that the technology &ldquo;is now being used in many areas,&rdquo; and that its introduction has &ldquo;successfully reduced drone attacks to zero in the areas where it has been implemented.&rdquo;&nbsp;This early success has encouraged a broader rollout. IGP KP Zulfiquar Hameed recently announced that 70 drones will be deployed across the province, including to the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD), alongside the acquisition of additional anti-drone guns. The objective, he said, is to build a &ldquo;comprehensive security umbrella&rdquo; across KP.&nbsp;The KP police say they remain committed to &ldquo;making the citizens of KP and Pakistan safer by equipping their forces with the latest technologies.&rdquo;

In Pakistan’s northwestern province, authorities have deployed anti-drone guns to counter militants increasingly using quadcopter drones for attacks, disrupting their communication signals and reducing drone strikes in key high-risk districts.

Pakistan deploys anti-drone tech to counter militants in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

Pakistan TV Satellite

ISLAMABAD: Minister for Climate Change Dr Musadik Malik has said Pakistan&rsquo;s recent actions along the border should not be viewed as &ldquo;aggressive&rdquo; but rather as a &ldquo;firm stance&rdquo; to safeguard the country&rsquo;s sovereignty and protect its people from cross-border terrorist attacks.&nbsp;&ldquo;I would not call it aggressive, I would call it firm,&rdquo; Dr. Malik said, emphasizing that Pakistan&rsquo;s position is rooted in defending its sovereignty and the safety of its citizens, particularly those living in border regions.&nbsp;He noted that communities in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and parts of Balochistan have long borne the brunt of terrorism and instability.&nbsp;&ldquo;Most of the people who live along the borders have already faced a lot of devastation. The poor and the most vulnerable are being attacked,&rdquo; he said.&nbsp;The minister also paid tribute to Pakistan&rsquo;s security personnel, highlighting the daily sacrifices made by soldiers and law enforcement officials combating terrorism.&nbsp;&ldquo;Our security forces are facing attacks every day. We are losing young men almost daily, and that is unacceptable,&rdquo; Dr Malik said.&nbsp;He stressed that Pakistan&rsquo;s resolve to confront terrorist networks was not about escalation, but about self-defence and national security. &ldquo;If there are organizations and hideouts involved in acts of terror or directly attacking Pakistan, then the state has every right to act firmly &mdash; as any country would,&rdquo; he added.&nbsp;Dr Malik underscored that Pakistan will continue to take decisive measures to protect its borders and people, reiterating that the nation will not allow its children or vulnerable communities to &ldquo;be put in harm&rsquo;s way for nothing.&rdquo;

The Perspective

Minister Musadik Malik described Pakistan’s recent border actions as a 'firm stance' to protect sovereignty and citizens from terrorism, praising security forces’ sacrifices and affirming continued decisive measures for national safety.

Articles tagged with "Khyber Pakhtunkhwa"

Four terrorists killed in North Waziristan attack, four Pakistani soldiers martyred

15 terrorists killed in two intelligence-based operations: military

Landslides weather warning alert issued for Pakistan's north-west

Pakistan deploys anti-drone tech to counter militants in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

Pakistan’s actions ‘firm, not aggressive’, says Minister Musadik Malik

Four terrorists killed in North Waziristan attack, four Pakistani soldiers martyred