Five terrorists killed, seven injured in Bannu operation

DERA ISMAIL KHAN:

Security forces conducted a successful operation against militants in Bannu, while a separate attack on a government check-post under construction in South Waziristan left two labourers injured and four abducted, police officials confirmed on Thursday.

According to Bannu DIG Sajjad Khan, security forces carried out a joint operation with local police and the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) in the Akbar Ali Khan Village in the Asparka area of Domel in Bannu against Fitna Al-Khawarij – a term the Pakistani authorities use for the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan militants. He said the operation was completed successfully, resulting in the killing of five terrorists, while seven others were injured during the encounter.

Domel lies along the North Waziristan Road, while the other areas are located above the Kohat and Bannu boundaries. All the locations are mountainous, officials said. A search operation is continuing to arrest militants who fled the area. “The terrorists will be brought to justice, and law and order will be maintained at all costs,” DIG Sajjad Khan said.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif praised the police and security forces for their successful operation against Fitna Al-Khawarij in Bannu, commending their timely and coordinated action against militants. He paid tribute to the police and security forces for killing three terrorists during the operation, stating that their swift joint response thwarted the militants’ nefarious designs.

He said that with the support of the nation, security forces are continuing efforts to completely eliminate terrorists belonging to Fitna Al-Khawarij, reaffirming the government’s resolve to maintain peace and security in the country.

Meanwhile, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi praised police and security forces for what he described as a successful operation against terrorists in the Bannu region. “I pay tribute to the police and security forces for sending three terrorists to hell,” he said in a statement.

He said the police and security forces had thwarted the militants’ “nefarious designs” through a timely and coordinated operation and lauded their professional capabilities. “Joint actions by the police and security forces for the establishment of peace in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa are commendable,” he said.

He added that, with the support of the nation, terrorists linked to Fitna al-Khawarij were being eliminated. “The terrorists will not be allowed to hide anywhere,” he reiterated.

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In a separate incident, unknown armed assailants attacked a government check-post under construction in the Makin area of South Waziristan, police said. The incident occurred within the jurisdiction of Makin police station.

Police said two labourers were injured in the attack, while four others were abducted by the assailants. The injured workers were shifted to a nearby medical facility, where their condition was reported to be out of danger.

Following the incident, police and security forces launched a search operation to recover the abducted labourers. Security was tightened in Makin Bazaar and surrounding areas, with additional personnel deployed and checkpoints established to prevent the attackers from escaping.

Police confirmed that both the injured and abducted labourers belong to Dera Ismail Khan. Investigations into the attack are under way, while efforts continue to ensure the safe recovery of the kidnapped workers.

Read more: DI Khan records 111 terror attacks in five years, 71 police officers martyred

Last month, three police officers were killed in a bomb attack targeting a police vehicle in the district. In November last year, six policemen, including trainees, were martyred and 12 other policemen and one civilian injured in a militant attack on the Police Training School, one of the deadliest incidents in recent years.

Dera Ismail Khan, located at the junction of Balochistan, Punjab and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, has long been a focal point of militant violence. Since 2020, the district has recorded 111 attacks, resulting in the deaths of 71 police officers and injuries to 100 others.

Across Pakistan, overall violence rose by more than 25% last year, with at least 3,187 fatalities and 1,981 injuries among civilians, security personnel and criminals, according to the Centre for Research and Security Studies.

K-P was the worst-hit province, accounting for nearly 68% of violence-linked fatalities and more than 62% of all incidents. In the province, fatalities during security operations stood at 1,370, exceeding deaths from militant attacks, which totalled 795, highlighting the scale of counterterrorism operations underway.