In a major counterterrorism breakthrough, nine militants were killed and three security personnel injured during a fierce gun battle in the Hangu district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, officials confirmed on Saturday.
The joint operation, conducted by security forces and local police in the Zargari Shinawari area, targeted a suspected militant hideout amid a recent surge in terrorist activity across the region. The confrontation follows the collapse of a ceasefire with the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) in late 2022, which has fueled increased violence in KP.
According to police sources, the operation began with a raid on the hideout, sparking an intense exchange of fire that led to the death of nine militants. Three officers, including District Police Officer (DPO) Khalid Khan, Doaba Station House Officer (SHO), and a member of the security forces, sustained injuries. DPO Khan was hit by three bullets and is currently being treated at the Combined Military Hospital in Kohat. His condition has been reported as stable.
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“The operation is progressing effectively, and our forces are determined to root out terrorist networks,” said Kohat Regional Police Officer DIG Abbas Majeed. He added that the operation is ongoing.
Federal Interior Minister Syed Mohsin Naqvi personally contacted DPO Khalid Khan to commend his bravery and service. “The entire nation stands in solidarity with our courageous officers. We remain steadfast in our fight against terrorism,” the minister emphasized.
Pakistan has experienced a troubling rise in terrorist incidents over the past year, now ranking second on the Global Terrorism Index 2025. The country recorded a 45% surge in terrorism-related deaths, totaling 1,081 fatalities. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has emerged as one of the most severely affected regions.
Recent incidents underline the severity of the threat. Last month, KP police killed a TTP militant and wounded two others during an attempted attack in Dera Ismail Khan. In May, two officers were martyred in a suicide bombing in Peshawar, and another deadly assault in Bannu claimed the lives of two more policemen.
