Security forces killed five India-backed terrorists during an intelligence-based operation (IBO) in Lakki Marwat district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, according to a statement issued by the military’s media wing, Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), on Sunday.
Pakistan Forces kill five Fitna al-Khawarij terrorists in Lakki Marwat; PM praises successful operation.#LakkiMarwatRaid #FitnaAlKhawarij #CounterTerrorism #PakistanTV #PakistanTVglobal pic.twitter.com/gQkd6b57ii
— Pakistan TV (@PakTVGlobal) March 15, 2026
The operation was carried out on March 15 after security agencies received reports about the presence of militants in the area. According to the statement, troops engaged the suspected hideout of militants during the operation.
Read More: Militant hideouts destroyed in Lakki Marwat operation
“During the conduct of operation, our troops effectively engaged the khawarij location and after an intense fire exchange, five khawarij were sent to hell,” the ISPR said in its communiqué.
Weapons and ammunition were also recovered from the killed militants, who were reportedly involved in several terrorist activities in the region. Following the exchange of fire, security forces launched a sanitisation operation in the area to eliminate any remaining militants.
The military reiterated that Pakistan’s counterterrorism campaign under Operation Azm-e-Istehkam would continue with full momentum to eliminate foreign-sponsored terrorism from the country.
Pakistan has witnessed a surge in militant violence since the Afghan Taliban returned to power in Afghanistan in 2021. Border regions of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan have particularly experienced an increase in cross-border attacks and militant activity.
In response to rising threats, Pakistan launched a large-scale security campaign known as Operation Ghazab lil-Haq. According to Information Minister Attaullah Tarar, hundreds of militants linked to the Afghan Taliban and affiliated groups have been killed during the operation, while numerous militant checkposts along the border have been destroyed.
Read More: Six militants killed in Lakki Marwat CTD encounter
Pakistan and Afghanistan have also witnessed periodic border tensions. In October 2025, clashes erupted after militants and Afghan Taliban fighters launched attacks on Pakistani border posts, resulting in casualties on both sides.
Despite several rounds of talks, diplomatic efforts between Islamabad and Kabul have so far failed to produce a comprehensive agreement on curbing militant groups operating near the shared border.