Security forces killed 16 terrorists, including two Afghan nationals, during intelligence-based operations (IBOs) in the North Waziristan district of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) over the past 12 hours, while two soldiers embraced martyrdom, the military's media wing said on Saturday. According to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), security forces engaged multiple terrorist locations in the general areas of Mir Ali, Datta Khel and surrounding areas. Following intense exchanges of fire, "12 khawarij, including two Afghan nationals belonging to Indian-sponsored Fitna-al-Khawarij, were sent to hell in Ali Khel, while two khawarij each were neutralised in Mir Ali and Datta Khel, thereby causing a significant blow to the khwarijs’ network operating in the area." In continuation of series of intelligence based operations being conducted by Security Forces, multiple Khwarijs’ locations were engaged in general area Mir Ali, Datta Khel and surroundings in North Waziristan District of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Following fierce fire exchanges, in… pic.twitter.com/oQ7R54ajgo — DG ISPR (@OfficialDGISPR) November 14, 2026 Fitna al-Khawarij is the term the state uses for terrorists belonging to the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). It identified the two soldiers who embraced martyrdom during the engagements as Havildar Asmat Ali, 43, a resident of Swabi district, and Naik Aftab Ali, 32, from Mardan district. “Both fought gallantly” before making the ultimate sacrifice, the ISPR said. The statement further said that weapons and ammunition were recovered from the terrorists belonging to the Indian-sponsored Fitna al-Khawarij. It said they had been involved in several terrorist activities, including the killing of civilians. Sanitisation operations would continue to eliminate remaining holed-up khawarij from these areas, as relentless Counter Terrorism campaign under the vision “Azm-e-Istehkam” (as approved by 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 terrorism from the country, and such sacrifices further strengthen our resolve, the statement concluded. Read: K-P terror threat persists: advisor President Asif Ali Zardari praised security forces for killing 16 terrorists during an operation in North Waziristan and paid tribute to two soldiers who embraced martyrdom during the engagement. In a statement, the president said the nation saluted its brave soldiers and that the sacrifices of Havildar Asmat Ali and Naik Aftab Ali would always be remembered. He expressed condolences and solidarity with the families of the martyred personnel. He said operations under the “Azm-e-Istehkam” initiative against foreign-sponsored terrorism would continue with full force until the last terrorist was eliminated. صدر مملکت آصف علی زرداری کا شمالی وزیرستان میں کامیاب سکیورٹی آپریشن کے دوران 16 خوارج کو جہنم واصل کرنے پر سکیورٹی فورسز کو خراج تحسین۔ قوم اپنے بہادر سپوتوں کو سلام پیش کرتی ہے؛ شمالی وزیرستان میں جامِ شہادت نوش کرنے والے حوالدار عصمت علی اور نائیک آفتاب علی کی قربانی ہمیشہ… — The President of Pakistan (@PresOfPakistan) November 14, 2026 Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif praised security forces for killing 16 terrorists in North Waziristan, and paid tribute to two soldiers who embraced martyrdom during the engagements. According to a statement issued by the Prime Minister's Office, He lauded the forces' professional skills, courage and timely action in operations. He commended security forces for killing terrorists belonging to the Indian-sponsored Fitna al-Khawarij. The prime minister paid tribute to Havildar Asmat Ali and Naik Aftab Ali. He extended his condolences to the bereaved families and prayed for the elevation of the martyrs' ranks and strength for their families to bear the loss. “The great sacrifices of our brave soldiers further strengthen the national resolve to completely eliminate terrorism,” PM Shehbaz said, adding that operations would continue until terrorism was eradicated from the country. He said the sacrifices and successes of security forces were commendable in the efforts to eliminate terrorism and ensure peace and stability. The prime minister reiterated that the fight against foreign-sponsored terrorism would continue with full force, determination and perseverance. He added that the entire nation and all law enforcement agencies stood alongside security forces under the vision of “Azm-e-Istehkam” to uproot terrorism. Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi praised security forces for their successful operations. In a statement, he commended the forces for their resolve and professional capabilities in eliminating the terrorists. He also paid tribute to Naik Aftab Ali and Havildar Asmat Ali, who embraced martyrdom while bravely confronting the terrorists, and extended his heartfelt condolences to their families. “Naik Aftab Ali and Havildar Asmat Ali sacrificed their lives today for the nation's peaceful tomorrow, setting a great example,” Naqvi said. He added that the great sacrifices of the martyred personnel would always be remembered. Naqvi said IBOs would continue until terrorism was eliminated, adding that the entire nation stood shoulder to shoulder with security forces in the fight against terrorism. Read More: Lack of political ownership weakened counterterrorism efforts, says K-P governor A day earlier, security forces killed 74 terrorists during IBOs in Balochistan and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa. Following intense and fierce exchanges of fire, 35 terrorists belonging to the Fitna al-Khawarij were killed in Mir Ali and eight terrorists were killed in Orakzai. Terrorism is a growing problem for Pakistan, with the number of attacks rising every year since 2022, according to Armed Conflict Location & Event Data (ACLED), a global monitoring organisation. Data from ACLED shows attacks in Pakistan rose nearly fourfold to 2,425 in 2025 from 658 in 2022. The scale of the threat continued to grow in 2026. Two security reports presented to the federal cabinet in October showed that terrorist incidents in K-P had increased by 195% between March 2024 and September 2026. The reports also found that 73% of attacks recorded in the province during 2026 had targeted police and security personnel, while the use of drones and improvised explosive devices (IEDs) had emerged as growing threats. Pakistan has repeatedly accused the Afghan Taliban authorities of allowing the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) to operate from Afghan territory and launch attacks inside Pakistan. A United Nations Security Council monitoring report published in February 2026 supported Islamabad's concerns, saying TTP attacks originating from Afghanistan had increased and that the group was being afforded greater liberty and support by Afghanistan's de facto authorities.