- 10kg IED recovered, safely defused during the operation.
- One injured police official shifted to hospital for treatment.
- Operation followed killing of 23 terrorists in KP province.
At least 12 terrorists were killed and several others injured while a cop was martyred during an intelligence-based operation jointly conducted by police and the Counter Terrorism Department in Bannu, the Central Police Office said on Saturday.
During the operation, carried out within the jurisdiction of Thana Miryan in Bannu, a 10-kilogram improvised explosive device (IED) was also recovered and safely defused by security forces, the CPO said.
One police official was also injured during the operation and was shifted to the hospital for medical treatment.
The operation came days after security forces killed 23 India-sponsored terrorists, including a ring leader, during intelligence-based operations in different areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
The security forces had conducted a series of IBOs in Datta Khel, Spinwam, and Bannu and killed 23 Fitna al-Khwarij terrorists, including the ring leader Jan Meer alias Toor Saqib, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said on Saturday.
The Bannu operation against terrorists began early in the morning, and modern drones and advanced surveillance technology were used to monitor militant movement during the raid, the CPO added.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Inspector General of Police (IGP), Zulfiqar Hameed, said that operations against Fitna al-Khawarij and terrorists will continue.
He added that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Police remain on the front line for the protection of public life and property, and that every attack by enemies will be responded to decisively.
Pakistan has seen a sharp increase in cross-border terrorist incidents, particularly in the bordering provinces of KP and Balochistan, since the Afghan Taliban grabbed power in Afghanistan in 2021.
Islamabad has repeatedly urged Kabul to prevent its soil from being used by terrorist organisations to carry out attacks inside its territory.
However, the Afghan Taliban regime refused to act against terror groups involved in countless attacks on Pakistani security forces and civilians.
Pakistan launched Operation Ghazab lil-Haq in February this year, months after the two countries agreed to a ceasefire in October 2025, following clashes triggered by unprovoked gunfire by the Afghan Taliban regime at multiple border points.
Despite many rounds of talks, both countries have so far failed to reach an agreement due to the Afghan Taliban regime’s reluctance to take action against terrorist outfits operating from its soil.
