Two terrorists killed as forces foil attack on Cadet College Wana

Security forces on Monday thwarted a terrorist attack on Cadet College Wana in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s South Waziristan district, reportedly carried out by the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), security sources said. “A suicide bomber belonging to Fitna al Khawarij detonated explosives at the main gate of the college, injuring six civilians,” security sources said in a statement. Fitna al Khawarij is a term the state uses for terrorists belonging to the banned TTP. “Swift action by security personnel prevented the attackers from breaching the premises.” It added that a clearance operation was underway, with initial reports indicating that four to five terrorists have been killed. It added that the attackers attempted to replicate an incident similar to the 2014 Army Public School tragedy – when TTP terrorists killed 147 people, including 132 schoolchildren – but were successfully neutralised before they could inflict large-scale damage. Separately, at least 24 terrorists were killed by security forces in three separate engagements in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, said a statement by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) on Monday. The ISPR said the KP intelligence-based operations (IBO) were conducted between November 8-9. During an intelligence-based operation in the general area of Shawal in North Waziristan, eight terrorists were killed by the security forces. “During the conduct of operation, own troops effectively engaged the khwarij location, eight Indian sponsored khwarij were sent to hell,” said the military’s media wing. In July, the government designated the banned terrorist outfit Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan as Fitna al Khawarij, mandating all institutions to use the term khariji (outcast) when referring to the perpetrators of terrorist attacks on Pakistan. In the second IBO conducted in the Dara Adam Khel district of the province, 12 terrorists were killed after “an intense fire exchange”. The military’s media wing added that sanitisation operations were being conducted in the areas to “eliminate any other Indian sponsored kharji found in the area”. It added that under Operation Azm-i-Istehkam, approved by the Federal Apex Committee on National Action Plan, the security forces and law enforcement agencies of Pakistan “will continue at full pace to wipe out the menace of foreign-sponsored and supported terrorism from the country”. In a later post on X, the ISPR said security forces conducted an IBO in Kalat district on the night of Nov 1 on the reported presence of terrorists belonging to “Indian proxy Fitna al-Hindustan”. “During the conduct of operation, own troops effectively engaged the terrorists’ location and resultantly, four Indian sponsored terrorists were sent to hell.” The ISPR said weapons and ammunition were also recovered from the slain, who were actively involved in numerous terrorist activities. It added that sanitisation operations were being conducted to eliminate any other “Indian sponsored terrorist” found in the area. President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif paid rich tributes to Pakistan’s security forces for their successful intelligence-based operations against terrorist elements of Fitna-ul-Khawarij in Shawal, North Waziristan, and Darra Adam Khel. President Zardari commended the security forces for their courage and professionalism, describing the success of these operations as a reflection of the nation’s steadfast resolve and unity. He said that Fitna-ul-Khawarij and their India-backed facilitators are enemies of Pakistan’s peace and stability. The president reaffirmed the national resolve to root out terrorism and stated that the elimination of foreign-backed militants is being carried out through complete national consensus. He also paid tribute to the martyrs and lauded the unwavering determination of the armed forces, emphasizing that operations under Azm-e-Istehkam would continue until the scourge of terrorism was completely eradicated. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also lauded the security forces for killing 20 terrorists during the successful operations. He said the armed forces stand as a solid wall in defense of the nation, with the entire country salute their sacrifices. “The protection of Pakistan is our foremost priority, and we remain resolute in eliminating every form of terrorism,” the prime minister affirmed.