MIR ALI: Security forces have dismantled two suspected terrorist hideouts during an intelligence-based operation in North Waziristan’s Mir Ali area, recovering a large quantity of explosives, weapons and ammunition, the military’s media wing said on Monday.
According to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the operation was carried out in Muzak village, located on the southern outskirts of Mir Ali in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Troops cleared two hideouts allegedly belonging to the India-sponsored Fitna al-Khawarij, a state-designated term for members of the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).
During the operation, security personnel recovered a substantial stockpile of prepared improvised explosive devices (IEDs), materials used for manufacturing explosives, weapons and ammunition.
The ISPR said the hideouts had been established inside mosques, where militants were allegedly storing explosive materials and operating torture cells. It condemned the use of places of worship for militant activities, describing it as a violation of Islamic teachings.
The military’s media wing further stated that the militants had no connection with Islam and accused them of exploiting religion to justify violence. It also alleged that the groups were being facilitated by the Afghan Taliban.
A clearance operation was underway in the surrounding area to locate and eliminate any remaining terrorist infrastructure, the statement added.
The ISPR reaffirmed that counterterrorism operations under the vision of Azm-i-Istehkam would continue across the country to eliminate foreign-sponsored militancy.
President Asif Ali Zardari praised the security forces for their successful operation and commended their professionalism. In a statement shared on X, he condemned the alleged use of mosques for storing explosives and carrying out violent activities.
He also rejected the use of religious interpretations to justify terrorism, saying militant groups operating with alleged support from the Afghan Taliban had no association with Islam.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Faisal Karim Kundi also condemned the incident and appreciated the security forces for dismantling the hideouts. He called for more intelligence-based operations to restore lasting peace across the province, according to state media.
The development comes amid a renewed wave of militant violence in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, where security forces have continued operations against armed groups.
According to the Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies (PICSS), militant activity increased significantly between October 30 and November 5. A total of 49 attacks were recorded nationwide during the period, compared with 31 in the preceding week.
The attacks claimed 25 lives and left 21 people injured, according to the institute’s latest weekly assessment.
In separate operations earlier in October, security forces killed nine militants during an intelligence-based operation in North Waziristan on October 8. A day earlier, 18 suspected terrorists were eliminated in separate engagements in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan.
