DIR: Eight members of the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan were reported dead in a joint security operation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Lower Dir district, police confirmed on Tuesday.
Senior Superintendent of Police Bilal Haider said the operation had been underway for three days against the group known as Fitna-al-Khawarij. He stated that bodies of five militants had been recovered while searches for the others were still in progress. He added that the clearance effort was being slowed by dense forest cover and harsh weather conditions.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif commended the police and the Counter-Terrorism Department for their efforts, saying the entire nation stood proud of their sacrifices.
The operation followed a weekend of intense clashes across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, where five security personnel and three civilians — including a two-year-old child — lost their lives. Several policemen were also injured. Officials reported that seven militants had been killed in the fighting.
In the districts of Upper Dir and Lower Dir, heavy exchanges of fire broke out late Sunday night, leaving five suspected militants dead and seven policemen wounded. Two civilians caught in the crossfire were also killed. Security forces later confirmed that the bodies of the militants were in custody and suggested they may have links across the Afghan border.
Tensions escalated in Lower Dir’s Lajbook Dara area when militants attacked police vehicles, setting fire to two pick-ups and a car. The TTP shared footage on social media, claiming responsibility for destroying the vehicles.
The government officially branded the TTP as Fitna-al-Khawarij in July 2024 and directed all institutions to use the term “khariji” when referring to the group. Since the end of its ceasefire in late 2022, Pakistan has faced a sharp rise in militant attacks, especially targeting police, security forces and law enforcement personnel.
Authorities say the state has intensified counterterrorism operations in response to the surge in violence, particularly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan.
