ISPR: 13 'Indian-Sponsored' Militants Killed in Intelligence-Based Operation, KPK

Pakistan's Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) reported on March 30, 2026 that security forces killed 13 militants belonging to the Fitna Al-Khwarij group (a label ISPR uses for the Pakistani Taliban/TTP) in an intelligence-based operation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. ISPR described the killed militants as 'Indian-sponsored terrorists,' continuing Pakistan's narrative that India finances armed groups to destabilize Pakistan. The operation followed a broader series of IBO (intelligence-based operations) along the Afghan border. Pakistan cited these operations to accuse India of sponsoring terrorism — a charge India denies. The cross-border militant issue has been a persistent rhetorical flashpoint between the two nations, with India similarly accusing Pakistan of backing Kashmiri militant groups. The rival accusations reflect a proxy-conflict dimension that has escalated following Operation Sindoor.