Three more India-backed terrorists killed in Zhob operation: ISPR

• Weapons, ammunition and explosives recovered from killed khawarij.
• Security forces remain committed to secure nation's frontiers: ISPR.
• Previously 33 and 14 terrorists were killed in operations in Sambaza.

As part of the ongoing anti-terror drive, security forces neutralised three more terrorists in Balochistan's Zhob district — bringing the total number of killed militants in the four-day anti-infiltration operation to 50 in Sambaza area along Pakistan-Afghanistan Border.

The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), in a statement issued on Tuesday, said that weapons, ammunition and explosives were also recovered from the militants belonging to Indian proxy Fitna al-Khwarij — outlawed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) — on the night between August 10 and August 11.

"Security forces remain committed to secure the nation's frontiers and thwart attempts at sabotaging peace, stability and progress of Pakistan," added the military's media wing.

The development comes as the forces had successfully engaged and neutralised 33 terrorists attempting to infiltrate from Afghanistan into Pakistan on the night between August 7-8.

This was followed by another action where 14 more terrorists were gunned down on August 9, bringing the-then total to 47 killed terrorists.

Meanwhile, reacting to the development, President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif on Tuesday commended the officers and personnel of the security forces for carrying out another successful operation against Khawarij.

"The nation stands shoulder to shoulder with its brave armed forces against terrorism. The enemies of Pakistan's peace, stability, and development will never succeed," President Zardari said, reiterating that the war would continue with full force until the complete eradication of terrorism.

PM Shehbaz also praised the professional capabilities of the security forces and said: "We will continue this war against the scourge of terrorism until it is eradicated in toto from the country. Pakistan armed forces are engaged day and night in the mission to cleanse the homeland of terrorists, and for this, the entire nation, including myself, pays tribute to them".

Army has previously said India has intensified its proxy war against Pakistan after its defeat in the May conflict, vowing that its proxies will meet the same fate as New Delhi — a crushing defeat.

Pakistan has witnessed a surge in cross-border terror incidents since Taliban rulers returned to Afghanistan in 2021, particularly in the bordering provinces of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan.

According to a report released by the Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies (PICSS), an Islamabad-based think tank, the country witnessed 78 terrorist attacks during the month of June, which resulted in at least 100 deaths.

Among the fatalities were 53 security personnel, 39 civilians, six militants, and two members of local peace committees.

A total of 189 people were injured, including 126 members of the security forces and 63 civilians.

Altogether, the violence and operations led to 175 deaths in June — among them, 55 security personnel, 77 militants, 41 civilians, and two peace committee members.

— Additional input from APP