Five Terrorists Killed in Two Bannu Operations
Five terrorists were killed in two separate operations in Bannu on Tuesday, as security forces kept up pressure on militant networks in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
The operations took place in the Kuram Garhi Mamandkhel and Shabri Kala Bhart areas of the district.
Night raid in Mamandkhel
In Kuram Garhi Mamandkhel, within the jurisdiction of Bannu Cantt police station, a joint intelligence-based operation by the Counter-Terrorism Department, district police and the Pakistan Army was launched on Tuesday night.
Acting on intelligence that terrorists were present in the area and planning a major attack, the personnel moved in. The terrorists opened indiscriminate fire as the forces approached. The personnel returned fire, and when the firing stopped, a search of the area found two terrorists dead.
One was identified as Mohib Khan alias Sameen, a resident of Garera Imam Shah in Bannu district. The CTD described him as a local commander of Ittehad-ul-Mujahideen Pakistan who was allegedly involved in several terrorist activities in Bannu. The identity of the second man was still being ascertained.
After the firing stopped, the personnel searched the area and found the two men dead, the CTD said. Security forces routinely sweep the area after such engagements to recover weapons and ammunition and to check for any surviving militants, though Tuesday’s statement did not say what was recovered.
Morning clash in Shabri Kala Bhart
Separately, three terrorists were killed in a clash with the police peace committee in the Shabri Kala Bhart area on Tuesday morning. Their identities could not be established, and further details were not immediately available.
Operations continue across KP
Tuesday’s strikes fit a continuing pattern across the province. A week earlier, security forces killed 18 terrorists in separate operations in North Waziristan and Mastung. This week alone has seen IBOs in Tank and DI Khan, as the campaign under the Azm-e-Istehkam vision presses on.
KP, excluding the merged districts, recorded 54 terrorist attacks in August against 36 in July — a 50 per cent rise, according to the Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies. The worsening figures are part of the reason the federal government cited the terrorism threat when imposing an emergency and governor’s rule in the province on Sunday, a move the PTI has challenged in the Peshawar High Court.
Related:
- 18 Terrorists Killed in KP, Balochistan Security Operations
- Five Terrorists Killed in North Waziristan IBO
- Three Terrorists Killed in Joint CTD-Police Operation in Tank
- 13 Hostages Freed in Bannu After Elders Negotiate With Militants
Frequently asked questions
How many terrorists were killed in Bannu?
Five — two in a night operation in Kuram Garhi Mamandkhel and three in a morning clash in Shabri Kala Bhart.
Who was the identified terrorist?
Mohib Khan alias Sameen of Garera Imam Shah, described by the CTD as a local commander of Ittehad-ul-Mujahideen Pakistan.
Which forces took part?
The night operation was a joint effort by the CTD, district police and the Pakistan Army; the morning clash involved the police peace committee.
