ISLAMABAD — Security forces have killed 11 terrorists in the Datta Khel area of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s North Waziristan district during a series of targeted operations. The military’s media affairs wing, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), confirmed on Sunday that the successful actions were executed over the preceding 48 hours. According to the military statement, tactical units aggressively engaged multiple militant locations, triggering intense and fierce exchanges of fire that effectively neutralized the attackers.
Security forces have neutralised 11 India-sponsored terrorists in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s North Waziristan district, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said on Sunday.
— The News (@thenews_intl) May 24, 2026
Key Highlights
- Security forces eliminated 11 terrorists in North Waziristan’s Datta Khel area over a 48-hour period.
- A significant quantity of weapons and ammunition was seized from the scene of the fighting.
- The military identified the slain militants as “khawarij” belonging to the banned Fitna al Khawarij (TTP).
- Mopping-up Stage: Area sanitization operations remain underway to flush out any remaining holed-up operatives.
- The President, Prime Minister, and Interior Minister issued joint commendations praising the forces’ professionalism.
The ISPR stated that the neutralized individuals had remained actively involved in numerous high-profile terrorist activities targeting security forces and civilians in the region. Following the gun battles, operational teams recovered a substantial cache of weapons and ammunition from the automated hideouts. Troops have maintained a heavy presence in Datta Khel to conduct thorough sanitization and clearance operations aimed at eliminating any remaining holed-up militants. This major operational success follows a separate military engagement earlier in the week, where the ISPR reported killing 22 additional terrorists in the same district.
In continuation of series of intelligence based operations, in last forty eight hours Security Forces engaged multiple Khwarijs’ locations in general area Datta Khel, North Waziristan District.
Following intense and fierce exchanges of fire, eleven khwarij belonging to… pic.twitter.com/sQHxCp5DRS
— DG ISPR (@OfficialDGISPR) May 24, 2026
The successful security enforcement drew high-level praise from the state’s top leadership. President Asif Ali Zardari paid rich tributes to the frontline forces, emphasizing that robust operations against elements working under foreign patronage are indispensable to protecting national security. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif similarly commended the professional capabilities exhibited by the tactical units, reiterating the federal government’s absolute determination to completely purge the country of militancy. Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi also released a formal statement praising the strategic success of the operation as the state continues to ramp up its counter-terrorism posture across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan.
