Security forces killed eight terrorists in North Waziristan on Wednesday along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border, the military’s media wing said on Thursday.

According to a statement issued by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the operation targeted a group of khawarij affiliated with the Indian-backed Fitna al Khawarij network, a state-designated term for the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).

According to ISPR, the movement of the terrorists along the border was detected by security personnel, who then engaged the terrorists with precision, and “weapons and ammunition were also recovered”.

The statement said, “This engagement once again substantiates our repeated stance regarding the abject failure of the Afghan Taliban regime to ensure effective border management on their side. They must fulfill their obligations and deny the use of Afghan soil by khawarij and the involvement of their citizens in terrorism inside Pakistan.”

The statement added that sanitisation operations are underway to eliminate any remaining terrorists in the area. The statement highlighted that the counter-terrorism campaign under the vision “Azm-e-Istehkam,” approved by the Federal Apex Committee on the National Action Plan, will continue at full pace.

Read: 13 terrorists killed in two separate IBOs in K-P, military says

The Apex Committee of the National Action Plan, chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, in June 2024, approved Operation Azm-e-Istehkam to eliminate terrorism and extremism across the country. The operation aims to eradicate extremism and terrorism decisively and comprehensively.

It coordinates and aligns efforts across multiple fronts to address the threats, while intensifying efforts to curb terrorist activities through regional cooperation within the political and diplomatic spheres.

“The Security Forces of Pakistan remain resolute and unwavering in their commitment to defend the nation’s frontiers,” the statement concluded, reaffirming the armed forces’ determination to counter foreign-sponsored terrorism.

President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif have appreciated the security forces for their successful operation against Fitna al Khawarij in the Pakistan-Afghanistan border area of North Waziristan, Radio Pakistan reported.

In a statement, the president says the role of the security forces in defending the country and protecting its borders is commendable. He urges the Afghan interim government to prevent its territory from being used against Pakistan.

In a separate statement, the prime minister affirms that the fight against terrorism will continue until it is completely eradicated from the country. He says the entire nation stands shoulder to shoulder with the armed forces in the resolve to combat terrorism.