Security forces killed 41 terrorists in intelligence-based operations (IBOs) carried out in Balochistan’s Harnai and Panjgur districts, said the military’s media wing on Friday.

According to a statement issued by Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the operations were carried out on January 29 (Thursday), in which terrorists belonging to Fitna-al-Khawarij and Fitna-al-Hindustan were killed.

Fitna-al-Khawarij is a term the state uses for terrorists belonging to the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), and the term Fitna-al-Hindustan has been designated by the state for Balochistan-based groups to highlight India’s alleged role in terrorism and destabilisation across Pakistan.

The military’s media wing said the presence of Fitna-al-Khawarij was reported on the outskirts of Harnai district, following which an IBO was conducted in the area.

“During the conduct of the operation, own troops effectively engaged the hideout, and after an intense fire exchange, 30 India-sponsored khawarij were sent to hell,” the statement added.

According to ISPR, a large cache of ammunition and explosives was found in the terrorists’ possession and was destroyed by security forces.

Separately, an IBO was also carried out in the Panjgur district, where a “terrorist hideout was busted and 11 India-sponsored terrorists of Fitna-al-Hindustan were neutralised”, ISPR said.

The military’s media wing further stated that weapons, ammunition and money looted in a bank robbery in Panjgur on December 15, 2025, were found in the possession of terrorists killed in the second IBO.

“The terrorists were involved in numerous terrorist activities in the past” as well, ISPR added.

“Sanitisation operations are being conducted to eliminate any other India-sponsored terrorists found in the area.”

“Relentless counter-terrorism campaign, under vision ‘Azm-i-Istehkam’ (as approved by the federal apex committee on National Action Plan), by 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,” added ISPR.

Thursday’s IBOs were carried out nearly two weeks after security forces killed 12 terrorists and effectively thwarted their attempt to create a hostage situation in Balochistan’s Kharan district during multiple operations.

An ISPR had said about the action that on January 15, “approximately 15 to 20 India-sponsored terrorists of Fitna-al-Hindustan carried out multiple terrorist activities in Kharan City, District Kharan”.

“The terrorists attacked [the] City Police Station, National Bank of Pakistan and Habib Bank Limited. They also looted Rs3.4 million from the banks,” ISPR said, adding that security forces effectively responded and engaged the them, prompting them to retreat.

During the ensuing clearance operation, 12 terrorists were killed in three different engagements.

More recently, on January 19, the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) foiled an alleged terror plan of a banned organisation, killing five suspected terrorists during an operation in the Dasht area of Mastung district.

“A major intelligence-based operation was conducted by Quetta CTD in Dasht after receiving information about the presence of armed men,” a CTD spokesperson said at the time, adding that five suspected terrorists belonging to the proscribed Balochis­tan Liberation Army were planning to block the Quetta-Sibi Highway and carry out subversive activities.

Pakistan has been facing the problem of terrorism for long. Despite record militant deaths, the country saw a sharp escalation in militant violence in 2025, with terrorist attacks rising by 34 per cent and terrorism-related fatalities increasing by 21pc year on year, according to a report released by the Islamabad-based Pak Institute for Peace Studies.