PM Shehbaz Sharif calls terrorism eradication a government priority, praises forces after Mir Ali operation

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday paid tribute to Pakistan's security forces for what the government described as a successful operation in the Mir Ali area of North Waziristan, according to the Associated Press of Pakistan (APP).

The operation, according to the government's account, resulted in the elimination of three militants described by officials as Khawarij, a term Pakistani authorities have increasingly used to refer to militant groups operating in the country's tribal districts. In a statement, the prime minister commended the security forces for recovering weapons and ammunition from those killed during the operation.

A continuing security focus

The prime minister's statement framed the eradication of terrorism as a continuing priority for the government, reflecting the sustained military and security operations Pakistani forces have carried out in North Waziristan and other parts of the country's northwest in recent years, in response to persistent militant activity in the region.

Mir Ali and the wider North Waziristan district have been the site of repeated security operations against militant groups, an area that has seen sustained conflict between Pakistani security forces and armed groups operating along the country's border areas. Government statements following such operations typically emphasise both the tactical success of individual operations and the broader national commitment to countering militancy.

Further details on the operation, including the specific groups involved or any additional casualties, were not provided in the government's statement as reported.