• ISPR says troops effectively foiled infiltration attempts by terrorists.
• “It resulted in six khwarij [terrorists] was sent to hell.”
• Large quantities of weapons, ammunition explosives found.

Security forces killed six terrorists who tried to infiltrate from the Pakistan-Afghanistan border in Zhob district of Balochistan, the military’s media wing said on Thursday.

In a statement, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said security forces intercepted the militants on the night of January 22-23 in the district’s Sambaza area.

“Own troops engaged effectively and countered theirs [terrorists] attempt to infiltrate. The result was six khwarij [terrorists] was sent to hell,” it added.

The ISPR further said that a large quantity of arms, ammunition and explosives were also recovered.

“Pakistan has consistently asked the interim Afghan government led by Taliban rulers to ensure effective border management on their side of the border,” the ISPR said.

The military also urged the Taliban government to fulfill its obligations and deny the use of Afghan land “by the Khwarij to perpetuate acts of terrorism against Pakistan”.

“Security forces in Pakistan remain committed to securing its borders and eliminating the threat of terrorism from the country.”

Pakistan has witnessed an increase in violent attacks since the Taliban returned to power in Afghanistan in 2021, particularly in the bordering provinces of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan.

The year 2024 turned out to be the deadliest for Pakistan’s civilian and military security forces in a decade, with at least 685 killed and 444 terrorist attacks, according to the “CRSS Annual Security Report 2024” published by the Center for Security and Strategic Studies.

Equally alarming were the cumulative casualties of civilians and security personnel ie. 1,612 killed, accounting for over 63% of the total recorded this year, marking 73% more casualties compared to 934 outlaws eliminated, The News reported citing the CRSS report.

The total number of deaths recorded the previous year was a 9-year high and over 66% more than in 2023. On average, nearly seven people lost their lives daily, with November emerging as the deadliest month across all metrics compared to all others months of the year.

The violence took the heaviest toll on KP, which peaked in human casualties with 1,616 killed, followed by Balochistan with 782 killed. In 2024, the country suffered 2,546 violence-related deaths and 2,267 injuries among civilians, security personnel and outlaws.

This tally of casualties stemmed from 1,166 incidents of terrorist attacks and counter-terrorism, marking a grim year for the country’s security landscape.