RAWALPINDI(National Times)- Security forces foiled a suicide attack by Fitna al Khawarij on a military post near Miranshah in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s North Waziristan district, security sources said on Tuesday.

Fitna al Khawarij is a term the state uses for terrorists belonging to the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan.

As per security sources, the terrorists attempted to ram an explosive-laden vehicle into the post. However, security forces took timely action and destroyed the vehicle before it could reach the target, they said.

During the operation, four terrorists were killed, and security forces were on high alert, due to which the attack was thwarted.

Security sources further stated that the terrorists attempted the attack fearing the success of operations around Miranshah over the past few days, adding that over 20 terrorists have been killed in these operations so far.

According to security sources, further operations were underway in the area, and the perpetrators of the attack and their facilitators would be brought to justice.

There has been a resurgence in terrorism in Pakistan, especially in KP and Balochistan, since the Afghan Taliban returned to power in Kabul in 2021.

Last week, at least eight militants, including two Afghan nationals belonging to the banned Tariq Gidar group — an affiliate of TTP were killed in KP’s Darra Adamkhel area in an operation. On May 19, security forces killed 22 India-sponsored terrorists in North Waziristan.

According to the monthly security assessment released by the Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies (PICSS), Pakistan’s security situation deteriorated sharply in May, driven primarily by escalating terrorist violence in KP and Balochistan.