Security forces killed six terrorists and injured six others during an intelligence-based operation (IBO) in North Waziristan’s Spinwam area, the military’s media wing said on Sunday. According to a statement issued by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), security forces conducted the IBO in Spinwam on Saturday upon the “reported presence” of terrorists. “Weapons and ammunition were also recovered from killed Khwarij who remained actively involved in numerous terrorist activities against the security forces as well as killing of innocent civilians,” the ISPR said. A sanitisation operation was being conducted to eliminate any other Khawarij found in the area, it added. President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif lauded the security forces for conducting the IBO in North Waziristan, according to state-run Radio Pakistan. Zardari commended the bravery of the security forces and appreciated their professionalism, according to Radio Pakistan. He also reiterated national resolve to completely eliminate terrorism. PM Shehbaz also praised the security forces for their successful operation. “We will continue to fight against the spectre of terrorism till its complete eradication from the country,” Radio Pakistan quoted him as saying. In July, the government, through an official notification, designated the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) as Fitna al Khawarij, while mandating all institutions to use the term khariji (outcast) when referring to the perpetrators of terrorist attacks on Pakistan. The country has lately witnessed a sharp uptick in the number of attacks targeting security forces, other law enforcement agencies, and security checkpoints, particularly in Balochistan and KP. Attacks escalated after the TTP broke a fragile ceasefire agreement with the government in 2022 and vowed to target security forces. On November 2, four terrorists were killed during an intelligence-based operation in KP’s South Waziristan region. In another incident on Nov 4, security forces killed seven terrorists in separate operations on Monday, with one terrorist killed in Balochistan and the other six killed during two operations in KP. On Nov 7, security forces killed five terrorists during an exchange of fire in South Waziristan, while four soldiers were martyred in the operation.