The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) killed three terrorists belonging to Fitna-al-Khawarij in a successful intelligence-based operation (IBO) in Dera Ismail Khan on Wednesday, said a statement by the department. Fitna-al-Khawarij is a term the state uses for terrorists belonging to the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). “On the special instructions of the Inspector General of Police Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, targeted operations against Fitna-al-Khawarij have been intensified in response to the attacks on the police,” the CTD said. It added that this morning, DI Khan’s CTD successfully carried out an operation on a confirmed intelligence report. “CTD teams reached the spot and surrounded the terrorists, who opened fire to avoid arrest. CTD teams also retaliated in self-defense, as a result of which the khawariji terrorists were killed,” said the statement. During the search operation, it added, the bodies of three terrorists were recovered and identified. According to the CTD, the slain terrorists were directly involved in attacks on police and security forces. “In view of the presence of more terrorists and facilitators in the area, the scope of the investigation, including search operations, has also been expanded,” it said. According to the press release, KP’s Inspector General (IG) of Police Zulfiqar Hameed and the additional IG CTD paid tribute to the personnel of the CTD special weapons and tactics teams for the successful operation, and said that the series of targeted operations would be further intensified to make an example of Fitna al-Khawarij . “He added that the response to attacks on police and security forces will be very severe and the struggle will continue until the last khawarij is destroyed,” the statement said. Pakistan has seen a surge in terrorism since the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) ended its ceasefire deal with the government in November 2022, vowing to increase attacks.