Operations underway as security forces retaliate and recover bodies in multiple regions
PESHAWAR / QUETTA – At least six security personnel were martyred and six terrorists killed in separate attacks and counter-terrorism operations across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and Balochistan, officials confirmed on Saturday.
Meanwhile, authorities in Mardan recovered four bodies, including those of two army personnel, from the Babuzai area of Katlang tehsil.
Swabi: Policemen Martyred in Targeted Attack
Two policemen were martyred in Swabi late Friday night when unidentified assailants opened fire on them while they were on duty near Gadoon Amazai Industrial Estate, according to District Police Officer (DPO) Azhar Khan.
The fallen officers, Zahid Khan and Jamaluddin, were reportedly seated at a hotel when motorcyclists opened fire at close range. Their funerals were held at Shahmansoor Police Lines, attended by senior police officials and grieving family members.
A search operation has been launched, though no arrests have been made yet.
Bodies Found in Mardan
Four bodies were discovered in the mountainous Babuzai area, with initial investigations pointing to militant involvement, allegedly led by Commander Abdul Hameed Hamasi, police said.
Among the deceased:
- Hammad Ghafoor, local crushing plant owner, abducted four days prior.
- Zubair Afridi, head of Aman Lashkar and a resident of Bara.
- Two army personnel, whose identities have not yet been publicly confirmed.
A case has been registered with the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD), naming six suspects: Qasim, Usman, Umar Sadiq, Zahid Khan, Muhammad Umar Khan, and Mudasir.
D.I. Khan: Terrorist Commander Killed
In Dera Ismail Khan, police gunned down Fatah, a key commander of the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) Gandapur faction, during a firefight near Takwara.
The incident occurred when the group ambushed a returning police team, according to police spokesman Yaqub Zulqarnain. IG Zulfiqar Hameed commended the officers and announced rewards for their bravery.
Balochistan: Multiple Attacks and Casualties
In Balochistan, four security personnel, including a CTD officer, were martyred in separate incidents:
- In Mongochar, Kalat, an IED blast targeting a bomb disposal unit killed two Frontier Corps (FC) personnel and injured four others.
- CTD Sub-Inspector Fida Ahmed was shot dead near his residence in Kalat.
- In Mastung, gunmen killed police official Shakeel Ahmed Bangulzai and Adnan Ahmed Dehwar.
- Armed assailants attacked a Levies station in Kirdgab, damaging official vehicles and looting weapons after an intense firefight.
- The residence of Khuzdar district council chairman Salahuddin Zehri was also attacked with hand grenades, causing structural damage but no casualties.
- A roadside bomb exploded in Gandawah, Jhal Magsi, with no reported injuries.
Qila Abdullah: Five Terrorists Killed
Acting on intelligence reports, the CTD launched a raid in Jungle Piralizai, Qila Abdullah, where a heavy gun battle led to the death of five militants affiliated with a banned outfit.
The CTD recovered weapons, explosives, and maps of sensitive installations from the site. The slain terrorists were reportedly involved in previous attacks on security forces.
Government Response and Security Measures
Authorities have intensified search operations across affected districts in KP and Balochistan, while senior law enforcement officials have pledged support to victims’ families and vowed to bring the attackers to justice.
