The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said on Thursday that a “high-value target” identified as a commander of the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) was among four terrorists killed after security forces thwarted an attempt to infiltrate the Pakistan-Afghanistan border.

In a statement, the military’s media affairs wing said that last night the movement of a group of khwarij attempting to infiltrate through the Pakistan-Afghanistan border was picked up by security forces in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Bajaur district.

“Own troops effectively engaged and thwarted khwarijs’ attempt to infiltrate. As a result of precise and skilful engagement, four khwarij, including kharji leader, a high-value target kharji Amjad alias Mazahim, were sent to hell,” the ISPR said.

The statement further said that the militant leader was the deputy of TTP chief Noor Wali Mehsud and the head of Rehbari Shura of Indian proxy Fitna al Khwarij. Fitna al Khawarij is a term the state uses for terrorists belonging to the TTP.

The ISPR said the militant leader was wanted by law enforcement agencies and the government had allocated a bounty of Rs5 million on him as he remained “actively involved in perpetuating numerous terrorist activities inside Pakistan while residing in Afghanistan”.

“It is pertinent to highlight that the leadership of Fitna al Khawarij, while residing in Afghanistan, is orchestrating infiltration attempts into Pakistan — primarily to project an impression of domestic presence and to raise the diminishing morale of their khwarij in Bajaur and Mohmand because of effective operations of security forces,” the ISPR said.

“It is once again reiterated that the interim Afghan government must take concrete measures to ensure that Afghan soil is not used by kharji proxies to perpetrate terrorism against Pakistan,” the ISPR said.

“It also validates our stance that Afghan soil is continuously being used as [a] safe [haven] by khwarij belonging to Fitna al Khwarij against Pakistan,” it said.

18 terrorists killed in 2 separate operations in Balochistan

Earlier in the day, the ISPR said that 18 terrorists were killed in two separate operations in Balochistan. In a statement, the ISPR said that the militants belonged to the Indian proxy, Fitna al Hindustan.

The state has designated Balochistan-based groups as Fitna al-Hindustan to highlight India’s alleged role in terrorism and destabilisation across Pakistan.

The ISPR stated that an intelligence-based operation (IBO) was conducted in the Chiltan mountain range in Quetta district on the reported presence of terrorists.

“During the conduct of the operation, own troops effectively engaged the terrorists’ location, and after an intense fire exchange, 14 Indian-sponsored terrorists were sent to hell,” it said.

The ISPR further stated that another IBO was conducted in Buleda in Kech district, where a hideout was busted and four militants were “successfully neutralised”.

“Weapons, ammunition and explosives were also recovered from the killed terrorists, who remained actively involved in numerous terrorist activities,” the ISPR said.

It said that sanitisation operations were being conducted to eliminate any other Indian-sponsored terrorist found in the area, adding that the counter-terrorism campaign by security forces and law enforcement agencies would continue at full pace to wipe out the menace of foreign-sponsored and -supported terrorism from the country.

President Asif Ali Zardari, in a statement posted on X, paid tribute to security forces for eliminating 18 militants. He said that the operation was a reflection of security forces’ determination to eradicate terrorism.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also said the entire nation stood with the country’s security forces in the fight against terrorism. In a statement, he also reiterated the firm commitment to eradicating terrorism in all its forms from the country, Radio Pakistan reported.

In a post on X, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi also paid tribute to security forces for thwarting the infiltration attempt.

“The nation takes pride in the skill and bravery of the security forces,” Naqvi said, vowing to “stand side by side” with them.

Pakistan has seen a surge in terrorist attacks, particularly in KP and Balochistan, mostly targeting police, law enforcement personnel, and security forces. The spike followed the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan’s breach of a ceasefire agreement with the government in 2022.

A day earlier, at least six Pakistan Army soldiers, including a captain, were martyred, while seven terrorists were killed during an IBO in Dogar in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Kurram district. According to the military, seven terrorists were also killed in the operation.