Security forces recover 700kg of explosives during North Waziristan clearance operation: sources

PESHAWAR BUREAUAuthoritative correspondents and national reporting wires confirmed vital developments regarding the ongoing situation in Pakistan today.

"Security forces on Tuesday recovered 700 kilogrammes of locally made explosives, a missile and other equipment during a search and clearance operation in different areas of North Waziristan, security sources said. The operation was underway in several areas, where security forces searched 62 more houses and several compounds, the sources said. They said searches were completed at 17 compounds between Api village and Haider Khel, 28 in Maski and 17 in other areas. Fourteen targeted locations were also cleared in Hassu Khel. During an operation in Mosaki, security forces recovered 700 kilogrammes of locally made explosives, while an Al-Farooq missile, 200 kilogrammes of urea and other related equipment were recovered from Hassu Khel, the sources added. The operation would continue until the possible presence of terrorists in the area and locations used by them had been cleared, the sources said. The latest operation came a day after security forces had recovered a large cache of improvised explosive devices, explosives, weapons and ammunition from two terrorist hideouts established inside mosques in Muzak village, on the southern outskirts of Mir Ali, also in North Waziristan. Read: IEDs, ammunition recovered from terrorist hideouts inside mosques in North Waziristan: ISPR According to ISPR, the hideouts belonged to Indian proxy Fitna al-Khawarij, the state-designated term for the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). The military said the hideouts had been used to store explosives and operate torture cells. 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. Read more: Soldier martyred, 17 terrorists killed in Balochistan IBOs: ISPR 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 per cent between March 2024 and September 2026. The reports also found that 73 per cent 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. The report also noted that Al Qaeda continued to provide training and support to TTP, while the group had acquired advanced weapons, including night-vision equipment and drone systems."

Key Highlights & Strategic Impact

According to analytical observations from regional observers, this breaking development is poised to influence both public policy and local socio-economic indicators across Pakistan.

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