Four soldiers martyred, 15 terrorists killed in two KP operations

• ISPR says nine terrorists killed in DI Khan IBO.
• Lt among four solders martyred in Miran Shah.
• "Security forces determined to wipe out terrorism."

RAWALPINDI: Four Pakistan Army soldiers were martyred and 15 terrorists were killed in two separate engagements in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the military’s media wing said on Saturday.

A statement from the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said that in the first instance, nine terrorists were killed during an intelligence-based operation (IBO) which was conducted in the general area of Hathala, Dera Ismail Khan District, on the reported presence of terrorists.

"During the conduct of the operation, own troops effectively engaged the khwarij location and resultantly, nine khwarij including ring leaders Farman [aka] Saqib, Amanullah [aka] Toori, Saeed [aka] Liaqat and Bilal were sent to hell," it added.  

The killed terrorists were "actively involved in numerous terrorist activities in the area and were highly wanted by the law enforcement agencies".

In a separate operation conducted in the general area of Miran Shah, North Waziristan District, six terrorists were neutralised by the security forces.

"However, during intense fire exchange, Lieutenant Muhammad Hassaan Arshaf, resident of Lahore leading his troops from the front, fought gallantly and embraced Shahadat along with his three men — Naib Subedar Muhammad Bilal, Sepoy Farhat Ullah and Sepoy Himat Khan.

Sanitisation operations were being conducted to eliminate any other terrorists, the statement said.

"Security forces of Pakistan are determined to wipe out the menace of terrorism from the country and such sacrifices of our brave soldiers further strengthen our resolve,” the ISPR concluded.

The operations are part of a sustained counter-terrorism effort as the country witnessed a surge in violent attacks 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.