Terrorist ring leader among nine militants neutralised by forces in DI Khan IBO

• Security forces conduct IBO in KP's DI Khan district.
• Eliminate highly wanted terrorist ring leader Shireen.
• Militant was involved for Captain Hasnain Akhtar's martyrdom. 
  

RAWALPINDI: The security forces have killed nine terrorists including a high-value target (HVT) ring leader in an intelligence-based operation (IBO) in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's Dera Ismail Khan district, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said in a statement on Monday.

The military's media wing said that an IBO was carried out on the terrorists' presence in the Takwara area on the night between April 6 and 7 which was followed by an intense exchange of fire between the security forces and the terrorists.

The gun battle, the ISPR added, resulted in the elimination of nine terrorists along with ring leader Shireen — highly wanted due to his involvement in the targeted killing of numerous innocent civilians, was also responsible for the martyrdom of Captain Hasnain Akhtar on March 20, 2025.

"Today’s operation has avenged the heinous act and has brought the main perpetrator to justice. [....] Sanitisation operation is being conducted to eliminate any other Kharji found in the area," the statement noted, adding that weapons and ammunition were also recovered from the killed terrorists.

Lauding the security forces' action, President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif appreciated their valour for eliminating terrorists.

President Zardari praised the security forces for killing the leader of the terrorists during the operation and said that killing a terrorist leader was a major success for the security forces.

The president reiterated that operations carried out by the security forces would continue till the complete elimination of terrorists.

Meanwhile, PM Shehbaz also praised the successful operation and said: "The entire nation stands firmly with the security forces in the fight against terrorism".

The premier also expressed determination to completely eliminate all forms of terrorism from the country.

The DI Khan IBO follows terrorists' unsuccessful infiltration attempt at the Pakistan-Afghanistan border in the North Waziristan district on the night between April 5-6.

The security forces promptly picked up the movement of a group of militants and effectively engaged them resulting in the elimination of eight terrorists.

Pakistan has consistently been asking the interim Afghan government to ensure effective border management on their side of the border.

Meanwhile, a sanitisation operation was being conducted to eliminate any other terrorists found in the area as "security forces are determined and remain committed to secure its borders and wipe out the menace of terrorism from the country".

The two nations share a porous border spanning around 2,500 kilometres with several crossing points which hold significance as a key element of regional trade and relations between the people across both sides of the fence.

However, the issue of terrorism remains a key issue for Pakistan which has urged Afghanistan to prevent its soil from being used by groups such as the TTP to carry out attacks inside the former’s territory.

Islamabad’s reservations have also been confirmed by a report submitted to the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) by the Analytical Support and Sanctions Monitoring Team, which has revealed a nexus between Kabul and the TTP with the former providing logistical, operational and financial support to the latter.