Pak security forces kill 13 terrorists in overnight raids in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

Pakistan’s security forces said they struck twice during the night in the country’s restive northwest, killing 13 terrorists in separate intelligence-led operations as Islamabad presses. In a statement issued on Thursday, Jan 15, the military’s media wing, the Inter-Services Public Relations, said the operations were carried out in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa during the intervening night of January 13 and 14, according to a news agency PTI.
“Thirteen khawarij belonging to Fitna Al Khawarij were killed in two separate engagements in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province,” the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said, using the term employed by Pakistani authorities for militants of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan. According to the statement, eight terrorists were killed in an intelligence-based operation in the Bannu district after security forces acted on reports of their presence. In a second operation in the Kurram district, five more terrorists were “neutralised.” “Sanitisation operations are being conducted to eliminate any other terrorist found in the area,” the ISPR said. The latest actions follow another operation earlier this week in Balochistan’s Kalat district, where four militants were killed, underscoring the scale of Pakistan’s ongoing counterterror campaign. Despite sustained military pressure, terrorist violence has surged.
Taliban rule faces threat of collapse in Afghanistan
The internal situation within Afghanistan’s Taliban regime appears increasingly fragile, with signs that the government’s unity is under serious strain. A leaked audio clip, cited in a recent BBC report, has brought long-suspected internal divisions into the open, raising concerns about the stability of the Taliban government.According to the report, the Taliban is now divided into two main factions. One is led by Supreme Leader Hibatullah Akhundzada, who operates largely from Kandahar and advocates a hardline, isolationist vision of an Islamic Emirate. The other faction, centered in Kabul and led by Interior Minister Sirajuddin Haqqani, supports strict Islamic rule but also favors limited engagement with the international community, economic revival, and at least some access to education for girls and women. The leaked audio features Akhundzada warning Taliban fighters that internal clashes within the government could lead to the collapse of the Islamic Emirate.