On April 21, 2026,
security forces conducted a joint intelligence-based operation in Khyber District, targeting
terrorists linked to the Indian-funded
Fitna al Khawarij network. The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) stated that 22 militants were eliminated during this
intense exchange of fire.
Tragically, a ten-year-old child was also caught in the
crossfire, leading to widespread condemnation. The ISPR noted that the
khawarij resorted to indiscriminate firing, showing the chaos of the operation. Furthermore, the operation resulted in the recovery of weapons and ammunition used by the terrorists, who had been involved in various terrorist activities in the region.
A sanitisation operation is ongoing, aiming to rid the area of any remaining threats. The ISPR emphasized that the country's
counter-terrorism campaign will persist under the National Action Plan, reaffirming the government's commitment to combat
foreign-sponsored terrorism. "A joint military operation was conducted by security forces and law enforcement agencies" that resulted in "intense exchange of fire" in which the militants were killed, stated one military official. The operations reflect an ongoing strategy to secure the region and address the implications of
indiscriminate violence across Pakistan.
Pakistan's military killed 22 terrorists during a joint intelligence-based operation in Khyber District, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on April 21, 2026, resulting in a child's death due to crossfire, the Inter-Services Public Relations reported. Weapons and ammunition were also recovered from the militants.
