India-backed militants among 71 terrorists killed at Pak-Afghan border in last 3 days

Pakistani security forces neutralised 71 terrorists near the Pak-Afghan border, safeguarding national security and thwarting threats, in a series of successful operations from April 25 to 27, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said on Monday.

The military's media wing said that the security forces conducted a deliberate sanitisation operation in surrounding areas of Hassan Khel, North Waziristan District (NWD), along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border, on the night of April 27-28.

The terrorist death toll comes after the successful engagements by the security forces in NWD from April 25-27, during which 54 khwarij were sent to hell. The security forces had foiled terrorists' infiltration attempt into Pakistan from Afghanistan and killed at least 54 of them. 

During the conduct of the operation on the following night, 17 more khwarij, who were "operating at the behest of their Indian masters, were hunted down and successfully neutralised", the military's media wing said in a brief statement.

It further stated that weapons, ammunition and explosives were also recovered from the killed khwarij. The number of khwarij killed in three days anti inflation operation has risen to 71, it added.

"The security forces remain committed to secure the nation’s frontiers and thwart attempts at sabotaging peace, stability and progress of Pakistan," the ISPR statement read.

In an earlier statement, the ISPR said that such actions by terrorists, at a time when India is levelling baseless accusations against Pakistan, clearly imply on whose cues they are operating. "Such actions amount to treason and betrayal against the state and its citizens."

Referring to the meeting of the Parliamentary Committee on National Security, the ISPR said it underscored the fact that distracting Pakistan’s security forces from their focus on the war against terror seems to be the strategic intent of India to allow a breathing space to terrorists "which is reeling from the onslaught of our armed forces resolute offensive against them".

The statement noted that this was the highest-ever number of terrorists killed by the security forces in a single engagement during entire campaign against terrorism.

Fitna Al Khawarij is a term the state uses to refer to the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), which is reportedly launching attacks on the country from Afghan soil.

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.

Earlier this month, at least eight terrorists were neutralised as security forces successfully thwarted their bid to infiltrate through the Pakistan-Afghanistan border in North Waziristan district.

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.