Pak Security Forces Kill 13 Terrorists in Overnight Counterterror Raids in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

Pakistan’s security forces carried out two intelligence-based operations overnight in the country’s volatile northwest, killing 13 terrorists in separate encounters across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the military said on Thursday, as authorities intensify counterterror efforts amid a sharp rise in militant violence.

According to an official statement issued by the military’s media wing, the Inter-Services Public Relations, the operations were conducted during the intervening night of January 13 and 14 in different districts of the province.

The statement said the terrorists belonged to Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, which Pakistani authorities refer to as Fitna Al Khawarij.

Two Separate Intelligence-Based Operations

In the first operation, security forces acted on actionable intelligence regarding the presence of militants in Bannu district. During the raid, eight terrorists were killed following an exchange of fire.

A second intelligence-led operation was carried out in Kurram district, where five more terrorists were neutralised, the military said.

“Sanitisation operations are being conducted to eliminate any other terrorist found in the area,” the ISPR noted, indicating that security forces remain deployed to prevent regrouping or escape.

Escalating Counterterror Campaign

The latest raids follow another operation earlier this week in Kalat district of Balochistan, where four militants were killed, highlighting the expanding scope of Pakistan’s internal security operations.

Despite sustained military action, Pakistan continues to face rising militant violence, particularly in its western provinces bordering Afghanistan.

A recent assessment by the Pak Institute for Peace Studies revealed that terrorist attacks in Pakistan increased by 34 percent in 2025, while fatalities linked to terrorism rose by 21 percent compared to the previous year.

Surge in Operations, Rising Threat

Addressing the media last week, ISPR Director General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry said Pakistani law enforcement agencies conducted over 75,000 intelligence-based operations across the country in 2025 alone.

Of these, 14,658 operations were carried out in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 58,778 in Balochistan, and 1,739 in other regions, reflecting the concentration of militant activity in the western belt.

He added that Pakistan recorded 5,397 terror incidents last year, with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa accounting for 71 percent of all cases, followed by Balochistan at 29 percent.

Military Signals Continued Operations

The military reiterated its commitment to pursuing militant networks and preventing future attacks, stressing that operations would continue across affected regions.

With Pakistan grappling with persistent security challenges, the latest overnight raids underline Islamabad’s reliance on intelligence-driven counterterror tactics to curb the threat posed by armed groups operating in its northwest.