ISPR said an operation was carried out in Orakzai district following reports of al-Khwarij presence, during which troops engaged a hideout and killed 14 terrorists after a heavy exchange of fire.

The second intelligence-based operation in the neighbouring Khyber district led to the killing of 10 more terrorists.

The ISPR said the terrorists belonged to Fitna al-Khwarij, which it described as an Indian proxy group, and that sanitisation operations were underway to eliminate any remaining fighters in the area.

It added that counter-terrorism operations would continue under the ‘Azm-e-Istehkam’ vision to eradicate foreign-sponsored terrorism.

President Asif Ali Zardari paid tribute to the security forces, saying the war against terrorism resulting from foreign interference was continuing successfully and would go on until its complete eradication.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also praised the professionalism of the officers and personnel involved, reiterating that the fight against terrorism would continue until it was fully eliminated.

Separately, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government reaffirmed its resolve to eliminate terrorism and restore lasting peace in the province.

The commitment was reiterated during the first meeting of the Provincial Apex Committee, chaired by Chief Minister Sohail Afridi in Peshawar, according to a statement issued by the Chief Minister’s Secretariat on Thursday, which said all available resources, including the army, police and Counter-Terrorism Department, would be utilised.