ISLAMABAD –Pakistani security forces carried out major intelligence-based operation in North Waziristan’s Shewa area, killing 22 hardcore terrorists in a fierce overnight exchange of fire, ISPR said Tuesday.
The successful action is being seen as a significant blow to militant networks operating in the region, with troops continuing sanitisation efforts to clear any remaining threats.
The operation took place in the Shewa general area as part of an ongoing clearance campaign launched on May 17, based on what officials described as credible intelligence about the presence of militants referred to as “khwarij,” a term used by the state for members of the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan.
Army’s media wing said troops launched targeted engagement on suspected militant positions, triggering a heavy exchange of fire that continued over the past 24 hours. By the end of the clash, 22 militants had been neutralized.
Authorities said a cache of weapons and ammunition was recovered from the site, adding that the slain individuals were actively involved in multiple acts of terrorism in the region.
The military further alleged that the militants had been coercing and intimidating local civilians, allegedly using them as human shields to secure movement and evade security forces. Officials condemned these actions as “deplorable,” saying no justification exists for endangering civilian lives.
The area has since been fully cordoned off, with sanitisation operations still underway to eliminate any remaining hidden militants, ISPR confirmed.
Reaffirming its broader counterterrorism strategy under the national plan “Azm-i-Istehkam,” the military said operations will continue at full pace to eradicate what it described as foreign-sponsored and supported terrorism from the country.
The latest operation comes amid a worrying resurgence of militant violence in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan since 2021, following the return of the Afghan Taliban to power in Kabul. Pakistani officials have repeatedly urged the Afghan administration to take action against militant sanctuaries, particularly those linked to the TTP, saying their concerns have not been adequately addressed.
The development also follows recent deadly incidents in Balochistan’s Barkhan district, where senior security personnel were among those killed during similar clearance operations.
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