Pakistan(National Times)- Security forces have killed at least 11 terrorists in four separate engagements in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on March 26-27, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said in a statement on Thursday. In a statement, the military’s media wing said an intelligence-based operation was conducted by the security forces in general area Mir Ali, North Waziristan district. “During the conduct of operation, own troops effectively engaged the khwarij [terrorists] location and resultantly, five khwarij were sent to hell.” In a second operation conducted in the same area, three more militants were successfully neutralised by troops, it added. In another encounter that took place in general area Miran Shah of North Waziristan district, troops effectively neutralised two terrorists, the ISPR said. In fourth operation conducted by the security forces in general area Daraban, Dera Ismail Khan district, one terrorist “was sent to hell”. Weapons and ammunition were also recovered from the killed terrorists, who remained actively involved in numerous terrorist activities. The military’s media wing said sanitisation operations were launched to eliminate any other terrorist found in the area “as the security forces of Pakistan are determined to wipe out the menace of terrorism from the country”. Last week, at least 16 terrorists were killed by security forces during an attempt to cross into Pakistan from Afghanistan in general area Ghulam Khan Kallay of North Waziristan district, the military’s media wing had said. According to the ISPR, security forces detected a group of terrorists attempting to cross the Afghan border in North Waziristan’s Ghulam Khan Kallay area. The country has been reeling under increased terrorist attacks targeting especially the law enforcers and security forces since the Taliban returned to power in Afghanistan in 2021, particularly in the bordering provinces of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan.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.