Security forces kill five terrorists, including wanted commander, in North Waziristan IBO: security sources

Security forces killed five terrorists, including a highly wanted militant leader, in a major intelligence-based operation (IBO) in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s North Waziristan district, security sources reported on Thursday.

The operation took place in the Spinwam area of ​​the district.

“The leader of the Fitna al-Khawarij was the mastermind of several terrorist attacks on security forces and civilians,” the security sources said. The price of the terrorist leader’s head had been set at Rs3 million.

Fitna al Khawarij is a term the state uses for terrorists belonging to the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), while Fitna al Hindustan is a term designated by the state for terrorist organisations in Balo­chistan.

According to sources, the leader — Umar alias Jan Mir, also known as Tor Saqib — was involved in planting explosives and constructing fortifications in the area around the Bobali Mosque in Spinwam.

The security forces surrounded the terrorists with a coordinated strategy before killing them, sources added.

Experts stated that the killing of the terrorist leader would help restore peace in the area, calling his death “a major blow” to the terrorists.

“Operations against Fitna al Khawarij and Fitna al Hindustan under Operation Azm-i-Istehkam are successfully underway,” they added.

Despite record militant deaths, Pakistan saw a sharp escalation in militant violence in 2025, with terrorist attacks rising by 34 per cent and terrorism-related fatalities increasing by 21 per cent year on year, according to a report released by the Islamabad-based Pak Institute for Peace Studies.

KP in particular has seen a rise in terrorist attacks in the past year. According to the Annual Security Report 2025 from the Centre for Research and Security Studies (CRSS), the province recorded a significant surge in violence last year as “fatalities rose from 1,620 in 2024 to 2,331 in 2025”.

Islamabad has repeatedly urged the Taliban administration to dismantle terrorist sanctuaries on Afghan soil, particularly those linked to the banned TTP. However, officials say those appeals have gone unheeded.

Due to a resurgence of militancy, especially in KP and Balochistan, where attacks often target security personnel and LEAs, the state has intensified counter-terrorism operations.

Security forces killed 22 India-sponsored terrorists in North Waziristan, the military’s media affairs wing said on Tuesday.

Last month, security forces killed 22 terrorists in a joint IBO in KP’s Khyber District, the military’s media wing said.