Seven terrorists were killed by security forces during an intelligence-based operation (IBO) in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Kurram district, the military’s media affairs wing said on Thursday.

According to a press release issued by Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the operation was conducted on the reported presence of terrorists in the area.

It said security forces effectively engaged terrorists of the Fitna Al Khawarij, formerly called the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), and seven were killed while five were injured.

“Khwarij’s hideout was also busted and a large quantity of weapons, ammunition & explosives was recovered,” the ISPR said, adding that the slain terrorists were involved in numerous terrorist activities against the security forces as well as innocent civilians.

“Sanitisation operation is being conducted to eliminate any other kharji (outcasts) found in the area as the security forces of Pakistan are determined to wipe out the menace of terrorism from the country,” the statement added.

President Asif Ali Zardari appreciated the professionalism shown by the security forces for the successful operation and paid tribute to them.

According to a press release from the President House’s media wing, Zardari reiterated the national commitment to eliminate terrorism from the country.

“The entire nation is with the security forces for the total eradication of terrorism,” the president said.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also commended the efforts and said that the entire country paid tribute to the officers who engaged in “performing their duties without caring for their lives for the integrity of Pakistan”.

According to a post on state-run PTV’s X account, the premier stated that the forces were working “day and night to cleanse” the country of Fitnah Al Khawarij.

“The entire nation stands by the side of the Pakistan Army in its determination to cleanse the soil of the homeland from the menace of terrorism,” Shehbaz said.

Last week, an officer embraced martyrdom during an exchange of fire in the Tirah Valley’s Bagh area of Khyber district.

Similarly, two soldiers and five civilians were martyred in a terrorist attack on a rural health centre in the Dera Ismail Khan district in July.

Pakistan has witnessed an uptick in terror activities in the past year, especially in KP and Balochistan after the TTP ended its ceasefire with the government in November 2022.

According to an annual security report issued by the Centre for Research and Security Studies, Pakistan witnessed 1,524 violence-related fatalities and 1,463 injuries from 789 terror attacks and counter-terror operations in 2023 — marking a record six-year high.

KP and Balochistan were the primary centres of violence, accounting for over 90 per cent of all fatalities and 84pc of attacks, including incidents of terrorism and security forces operations.

Additional reporting by Nadir Guramani