Twelve terrorists were killed, while 11 security personnel were martyred after security forces foiled a terrorist attack on a check post in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa’s (KP) Bajaur district, the military’s media wing said on Monday.
According to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the attackers, described as belonging to the Indian proxy Fitna al-Khawarij, attempted to breach the check post’s security. Troops responded swiftly, engaging the assailants and eliminating 12 of them as they attempted to flee.
The ISPR stated that during the assault, the attackers rammed an explosive-laden vehicle into the perimeter wall of the check post. The powerful blast caused parts of the infrastructure to collapse, resulting in the martyrdom of 11 security personnel.
“The explosion also damaged nearby residential buildings, killing one young girl and injuring seven others, including women and children,” the statement said.
Fitna al-Khawarij is a term used by the state to refer to terrorists affiliated with the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan.
The ISPR further stated that sanitisation operations are underway in the area to eliminate any remaining militants. Officials said the counter-terrorism campaign under the vision “Azm-e-Istehkam”, approved by the Federal Apex Committee on the National Action Plan, would continue at full pace to eliminate foreign-sponsored terrorism.
It added that the sacrifices of the personnel and civilians underscore the resolve to safeguard the country.
Separately, the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD), Elite Force, and Police killed three most wanted terrorists in a joint operation in Shangla’s Kabal Gram area.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Police, Elite Force, and the CTD achieved a major success as three highly wanted terrorists were killed, security sources said.
Among the terrorists killed was Noor Islam, who had a bounty of Rs 5 million on his head announced by the KP government and was the ringleader of Fitna al-Khawarij, they said.
They said that one terrorist blew himself up to avoid arrest. During the operation, there was also an intense exchange of fire in which three police personnel embraced martyrdom. The martyred police officers were identified as Maqbool Ahmed, Fida Hussain, and Saeed-ur-Rehman, security sources said.
Meanwhile, defense experts said that the presence of terrorists in Kabal Gram confirms that they were planning a major terrorist attack. This targeted operation marks an important advancement in the counter-terrorism strategy, effectively weakening the organized network of Fitna al-Khawarij, they said.
They said that the terrorist group was also involved in past attacks on Chinese nationals. The sacrifice of the martyred personnel is a shining example of safeguarding national security and a practical demonstration of the state’s unwavering resolve against terrorism, they added.
President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday strongly condemned the attempt by Indian-backed Fitna al-Khawarij to attack a joint check post of security and law enforcement agencies in Bajaur district.
The president and prime minister, in their separately issued statements, reiterated the nation’s resolve and priority to eliminate the terrorism backed by external support.
They expressed deep sorrow over the martyrdom of 11 soldiers and a civilian in the incident. They prayed to Allah Almighty for elevation of the martyrs’ ranks, patience for their families, and early recovery of the injured.
“The sacrifices of those who laid down their lives in defense of the country further strengthen our resolve. The elimination of terrorism backed by external support remains the top priority,” President Zardari remarked.
Prime Minister Shehbaz, who is currently in London, highlighted that security forces, through timely and effective action, eliminated 12 terrorists of Fitna al-Khawarij.
He said that under the vision of Azm-e-Istehkam, the security forces were achieving huge successes in the fight against terrorism.
“The entire nation stands united with Pakistan’s armed forces in this war against terrorism. We remain fully determined to completely eradicate all forms of terrorism from the country,” the prime minister added.
The attack comes days after an additional station house officer was martyred as terrorists attacked a police station in the War Mamund tehsil of Bajaur district.
Pakistan has experienced a rise in cross-border terrorist incidents since the Taliban regained control of Afghanistan in 2021. The provinces of KP and Balochistan, which border Afghanistan, have been particularly affected by these attacks.
ISPR Director General Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, in his presser on January 6, said that law enforcement agencies carried out 75,175 IBOs across the country in 2025.
Giving a breakdown, he said 14,658 IBOs were conducted in KP, 58,778 in Balochistan, while 1,739 operations took place in the rest of the country.
Lt Gen Chaudhry said that 5,397 terrorism incidents were reported nationwide during the last year. Of these, 3,811 incidents, he said, occurred in KP, 1,557 in Balochistan, and 29 incidents were reported in other parts of the country.
He said that 2,597 terrorists were killed during counterterror operations last year. While providing details of 10 major terror attacks across the country, he said that civilians and soft targets had been deliberately targeted, and Afghan militants were involved in all attacks.