ISLAMABAD(National Times)- Security forces killed three terrorists and destroyed their hideouts in an intelligence-based operation in Mir Ali, North Waziristan, as counterterrorism operations continue across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, security sources said on Wednesday.
A large cache of weapons and ammunition was also recovered after the terrorists were killed, while security forces also destroyed hideouts of Fitna al-Khawarij in Mir Ali and surrounding areas, the sources said.
In Balochistan, security forces conducted an operation under Operation Radd-ul-Fitna 3 against Fitna al-Hindustan near Mal Madarsa in Surab district, killing one terrorist, security sources said.
The operation was launched after information about the presence of terrorists between Mal Madarsa and Bategu, according to the sources.
The sources said one terrorist was killed in an exchange of fire with security forces, while another managed to escape. Weapons and a motorcycle were recovered from the killed terrorist, they added.
Security forces remain committed to maintaining peace and order in Balochistan and eliminating terrorism from the province, the sources said.
Meanwhile, in Tank, a terrorist linked to Fitna al-Khawarij was killed after an explosive device he was carrying went off prematurely while he was on his way to a patwar office, security sources said.
The sources said the terrorist was attempting to target the patwar office over an extortion-related dispute when the explosive device detonated accidentally.
The blast damaged two houses adjoining the government patwar office, causing their walls to collapse, according to the sources.
The latest operations come amid an intensification of counterterrorism operations in Balochistan.
On Sunday, September 27, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said more than 70 terrorists had been killed in several operations across the province over four days.
According to the ISPR, the operations included a major operation in the Shaban area, where 17 terrorists were killed in one phase, and 56 others were killed in a subsequent clearance operation. Security forces also conducted operations in Nushki and Mand, according to the military’s account.
On Tuesday, September 29, security sources said seven India-backed terrorists had been killed in separate operations in KP and Balochistan, including five Fitna al-Khawarij terrorists killed in Bara and two Fitna al-Hindustan terrorists killed in Balochistan’s Nokcha area.
Weapons and ammunition were found on the slain terrorists, while militant hideouts were destroyed in the Bara operation.
Surge in terrorism
Pakistan has witnessed a surge in terrorist activity, particularly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and Balochistan, since 2021, when the Afghan Taliban returned to power.
According to a report by the Centre for Research and Security Studies (CRSS), the two provinces remained the country’s main hotspots for violence during the second quarter of 2026, with KP emerging as the worst-affected region.
KP and Balochistan together accounted for nearly 96% of all violence-related fatalities recorded during the quarter, the report said. Of the total deaths, more than 61% (475) were reported in KP, while Balochistan accounted for 34% (265).
KP also recorded the highest number of violent incidents, with 151 cases, or 57% of the nationwide total. Balochistan followed with 94 incidents, accounting for 35%, underscoring the concentration of militant activity in the two provinces.
