IBOs | Pakistan

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,” t...

• Interior secretary says NAP being reinvigorated • FO slams Modi’s allegations • UNSC condemns school bus attack ISLAMABAD: Pakistani authorities on Friday said they would continue with intelligence-based operations (IBOs) to combat terrorism in Balochistan, instead of launching a large-scale kinetic military campaign at this stage. “The intelligence-based operations would continue,” said Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, director general of Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), during a joint press briefing with Federal Interior Secretary Khurram Agha near the military headquarters in neighbouring garrison city of Rawalpindi. The joint appearance of military and civilian officials underscored the government’s unified approach to counterterrorism, especially in the wake of escalating regional tensions with India and aggravating security situation in Balochistan. Their remarks come days after a suicide attack in Khuzdar targeted a school bus carrying children of military personnel, in which eight people, includ...