Security forces clear two militant hideouts in mosques near Mir Ali
Security forces cleared two hideouts inside mosques in Mir Ali, North Waziristan, the military's media wing said. Explosives, weapons and ammunition were recovered.
- Operation held on 8 November in Mozak village, Mir Ali, based on intelligence
- Two hideouts inside mosques cleared, ISPR said
- Large quantity of IEDs, explosive material, weapons and ammunition recovered
- Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif praised the operation
Security forces cleared two hideouts inside mosques in the Mir Ali area of North Waziristan during an intelligence-based operation, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said on Monday.
According to ISPR, the operation took place on 8 November 2026 in Mozak village, on the south side of Mir Ali. Daily Times spelled the village name as Muzak. The military said the hideouts belonged to the group it calls Fitna al Khawarij.
ISPR said a large quantity of improvised explosive devices (IEDs), explosive-making material, weapons and ammunition was recovered from the sites.
The military's media wing said the militants had deliberately used the mosques to store explosive material. It also said torture centres had been set up at the locations, where people were tortured.
ISPR said the desecration of places of worship showed the militants had completely cut themselves off from basic Islamic teachings. In its statement it said: "فتنہ الخوارج کی جانب سے عبادتگاہوں کی اس طرح بے حرمتی اسلام کی بنیادی تعلیمات سے ان کی مکمل لاتعلقی کا ایک اور واضح ثبوت ہے" (original Urdu wording). It added that the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Pakistan reject the militants' misinterpretation of religion.
ISPR said a clearance operation is continuing in the area to find and destroy more hideouts, and that the counter-terrorism campaign under the National Action Plan will go on at full speed.
A statement from the Prime Minister's Office media wing said Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif praised the operation. He said storing explosives in mosques and using them as torture centres desecrates Islam and sacred places, and that operations against terrorism will continue with full force.
Background
khabr.pk reported on 9 November that security forces had cleared two militant hideouts inside mosques in Muzak village near Mir Ali, North Waziristan, according to the military's media wing, and that a large cache of IEDs, explosives, weapons and ammunition was recovered.
Why it matters for Pakistan
Militant activity in the northwest affects security and daily life for residents of North Waziristan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The ISPR said a clearance operation is continuing in the area, where it says more hideouts are being searched for. The government has said operations under the National Action Plan will continue.
