By The South Asia Times

ISLAMABAD - Pakistan’s security forces have delivered a significant blow to militant networks in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province near Afghan border, neutralizing 23 khwarij -- including a high-value ring leader with a government-set bounty -- during a series of intelligence-based operations over the past 48 hours, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said on Thursday.

The operations were conducted in key hotspots, including Datta Khel, Spinwam, and Bannu, based on credible intelligence leads.

Security forces have expanded their counter-terror campaign in the province as part of an ongoing drive to eliminate terrorist threats and dismantle what the military describes as "Indian-sponsored Fitna-al-Khwarij" networks.

Among those neutralized was Kharji ring leader Jan Meer alias Toor Saqib, a highly wanted terrorist for whom the government had fixed head money. According to the ISPR statement, Toor Saqib was actively involved in numerous terrorist activities, including the killing of security forces personnel and innocent civilians.

Following intense and fierce exchanges of fire, security forces successfully eliminated 23 khwarij in the aforementioned areas, dealing a major blow to militant networks operating in the region.

During the operations, security forces recovered a large cache of weapons, ammunition, explosives, and prepared improvised explosive devices (IEDs) from the killed militants, who remained actively involved in multiple terrorist activities in the area.

In a significant development, sanitization operations also unearthed a series of complex networks of underground tunnels and bunkers used by the khwarij. These hideouts were subsequently destroyed by security forces, further degrading the militants' operational capabilities.

The ISPR reaffirmed that sanitization operations are continuing to eliminate holed-up khwarij from these areas. The relentless counter-terrorism campaign is being conducted under the vision of "Azm-e-Istehkam" -- as approved by the Federal Apex Committee on the National Action Plan -- by Pakistan's security forces and law enforcement agencies.

The military vowed that the campaign will continue at full pace to "wipe out the menace of foreign-sponsored and supported terrorism from the country."

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, particularly its tribal districts along the Afghanistan border, has witnessed a resurgence of militant activity in recent years. Pakistan accuses the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) -- which it says operates from safe havens inside Afghanistan -- of carrying out attacks on civilians and security forces. However, the Afghan Taliban have consistently denied these allegations.