PESHAWAR: Seven terrorists, including a high-value target, were killed and two other militants were arrested in separate encounters in Khyber Pak­htunkhwa (KP), official sources said on Saturday.

Also, a security official embraced martyrdom in a bomb attack on a convoy of security forces.

In separate clashes bet­ween security agencies and militants, two terrorists were killed in North Wazir­istan, three were shot dead in Bajaur, while two others were gunned down in retaliation by police after they atta­cked a security post on Bannu-Dera Ismail Khan Road in Lakki Marwat district.

Five terrorists, including a high-value target, were killed and two others, inc­luding one wanted by po­l­ice, were arrested in sep­arate operations carried out by security forces in KP on April 30 and May 1, according to a statement issued by Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the military’s media wing.

The ISPR said during an intelligence-based operation (IBO), troops effectively engaged militants’ hideout in Bajaur. In an intense exchange of fire between security forces and terrorists, a high-value target, Fareedullah, and two other terrorists were neutralised.

In the Dossali area of North Waziristan district, security forces killed two terrorists during an IBO, according to the ISPR.

It added that troops successfully busted a hideout of terrorists during a third encounter with militants in Mohmand district and arrested two of them. One of them was later identified as Lal Ameer alias Ibrahim, who was wanted by the police for his active role in terror activities.

Security forces seized weapons, ammunition and explosives from the terrorists, according to the ISPR.

The military’s media wing said that a sanitisation operation was being conducted to eliminate any other terrorists found in the area.

Security official martyred

Meanwhile, a security official was martyred in an explosion in the Garhiom area on the outskirts of South and North Waziristan districts on Saturday, sources said.

An improvised explosive device went off near a convoy of the security forces, the sources said, adding that the explosion claimed the life of a security official.

A curfew was later imposed in the area due to security concerns.

Two killed in Lakki

In Lakki Marwat district, a security checkpoint near Gandi Chowk on Bannu-D.I. Khan Road came under attack at 2am on Saturday, prompting the police to retaliate, officials said.

A heavy gunfire panicked locals as some of them came out of their houses to assist the police.

“The militants used light and heavy weapons in a bid to take over the police post building, but failed as police fought gallantly forcing them to retreat under the cover of fire,” the officials said.

A rocket shell fired by the terrorists hit and damaged the main gate and the boundary wall of the police post, they said, adding that an area resident, Ahmad Khan, who along with others had come out of his house to assist police, lost his life in the ambush.

“A police official, Naseer Khan, and a watchman of a local market, Mujeebur Rehman, were also injured and taken to nearby hospital,” officials maintained, adding an effective response by law enforcers forced the militants to flee the place.

After the attack, a large contingent of police led by SP Investigation Murad Khan Wazir and backed by armoured personnel carriers reached the area and launched a search for the assailants.

Subsequently, police surrounded some militants hiding the forest locally called ‘darga’, near Shah Tora, Takhtikhel area of Lakki Marwat. After a fierce gun battle, two of them were killed, police said, adding that advanced weapons including M-4 rifles and 9MM pistols were seized from the area.

Later, Bannu RPO Sajjad Khan visited the site, met police personnel and praised them for repelling the attack bravely.

Bannu DPO Saleem Abbas Kulachi and SP Wazir accompanied him.

Mr Khan said the cops stood against the menace firmly and thwarted the malicious designs of militants.

President, PM hail forces

Later, President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif lauded security forces for operations against terrorists in North Waziristan and Bajaur.

The president reiterated the resolve of continuing actions against terrorists and appreciated the security forces’ operations for eliminating these elements.

He said their determination for the eradication of terrorism and the defence of the motherland was resolute.

The prime minister said that they would continue foiling the nefarious designs of the enemies of humanity.

PM Shehbaz also reaffirmed continuing the fight against terrorism till its complete elimination from the country.

Funeral

Meanwhile, funeral prayers were offered for a martyred police official, Imranullah, at the Iqbal Shaheed police lines with full state honour.

Imranullah of the counterterrorism department of police was seriously injured in an armed clash with terrorists in the Domel Chashmi area of Bannu district on Wednesday night.

He remained under treatment at a local hospital but his condition deteriorated after which he was being shifted to a hospital in Peshawar when he breathed his last.

His body was later shifted to Bannu where RPO Sajjad Khan, DPO Saleem Abbas Kulachi, SP CTD Fazal Wahid and other police officials attended his funeral.

Arrests

Also on Saturday, police claimed to have arrested scores of suspects and anti-state elements during an operation and snap checking in Bannu and Lakki Marwat district.

“The offensives were launched after a surge in militant attacks on police installations in both southern districts,” officials said.

Pazir Gul in North Waziri­stan, Ghulam Mursalin Marwat in Lakki Marwat and Umer Farooq in Peshawar also contributed to this report

With input from APP

Published in Dawn, May 4th, 2025