Four terrorists neutralized, police officer martyred in two KP IBOs

• ISPR says two Indian sponsored khwarij, including Kharji Ringleader Waheedullah alias Muktiar along with a suicide bomber were sent to hell in Bannu IBO

 RAWALPINDI: Four terrorists, including two highly wanted commanders, were neutralized and one police officer was martyred in two separate intelligence-based operations in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, officials confirmed on Monday.

In a statement, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the military’s media wing, said, “On 19 April 2026, an intelligence based operation was conducted by Security Forces in Bannu District on reported presence of khwarij.

On 19 April 2026, an intelligence based operation was conducted by Security Forces in Bannu District on reported presence of khwarij.

During conduct of the operation, after intense exchange of fire, two khwarij, belonging to Indian sponsored Fitna-al-Khwarij, including Kharji… pic.twitter.com/yXkQxTqlS6

— DG ISPR (@OfficialDGISPR) April 20, 2026

“During conduct of the operation, after intense exchange of fire, two khwarij, belonging to Indian sponsored Fitna al-Khwarij, including Kharji Ringleader Waheedullah alias Muktiar along with a suicide bomber were sent to hell,” the ISPR said, adding that a suicide jacket, weapons and ammunition were also recovered from killed khwarij.

The state uses the term Fitna al-Khawarij for the terrorists belonging to the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).

The ISPR said that the terrorist ring leader Waheedullah was “amongst the most wanted terrorists” due to his involvement in multiple terrorist activities, including attacks that led to the “martydom of security forces personnel and innocent civilians”.

According to the statement, he was also the main handler of a suicide bomber in Bannu District on February 21, an attack in which Lieutenant Colonel Gul Faraz was martyred.

The ISPR further said the operation had “indeed avenged the heinous act and brought the main perpetrator to justice”, adding that the “timely action of security forces also averted a major catastrophe”.

It added that a sanitisation operation is being conducted in the area to eliminate any remaining terrorists. It added that Pakistan’s “relentless counter-terrorism campaign under the vision Azm-e-Istehkam", approved by the Federal Apex Committee on the National Action Plan, will continue at full pace.

In a major counter-terrorism breakthrough, two terrorists, including a highly wanted commander, were killed and a police constable was martyred during an intelligence-based operation in the Akhundan forest civil camp area near the Bannu border, the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) said on Monday.

According to a CTD spokesperson, the police carried out a targeted intelligence-based operation in the border region adjoining Bannu district, where a heavy exchange of fire took place with terrorists linked to “Fitna al-Khawarij.”

During the operation, two militants were killed and several others were injured. Taking advantage of darkness and the difficult forest terrain, some terrorists managed to escape with their wounded accomplices, the statement added.

The spokesperson said Frontier Reserve Police constable Atiqur Rehman embraced martyrdom “while displaying exceptional courage and sacrifice for the country.”

Among those killed was a highly wanted commander identified as Amir Sohail alias Aqabi, also known as Omar Khattab, son of Muhammad Zaman alias Guloon, a resident of Kotka Shah Muhammad, Lakki Marwat. He was wanted by the CTD in multiple cases, including targeted killings, attacks on police and security forces, bomb blasts, and other serious offences.

A large-scale search operation involving police, CTD, and armoured vehicles is currently underway in the area. Authorities said security forces remain fully committed to eliminating militancy and maintaining peace, with all available resources being utilised to secure the region.

Surge in militancy in KP

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has witnessed continued terrorist activity since the United States’ withdrawal from Afghanistan, with militants frequently crossing the border to target police convoys and security forces, resulting in multiple casualties among law enforcement personnel.

On Sunday, two Federal Constabulary personnel were martyred when unidentified motorcycle-borne terrorists opened fire on them in Bannu. According to police sources, the personnel were shopping in a local market when attackers suddenly targeted them before fleeing the scene.

The province has seen a sharp rise in terrorist incidents, recording the highest number in the country. Out of 5,397 total incidents last year, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa accounted for 3,811, followed by Balochistan with 1,557, while only 29 incidents were reported from the rest of the country. During the same period, 2,597 terrorists were killed.

 

Leadership pays tribute to security forces

President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday praised security forces for a successful intelligence-based operation in Bannu, in which a key Khawarij ring leader and a suicide bomber were eliminated.

In separate statements, both leaders lauded the professionalism, bravery, and operational success of the security forces, saying the elimination of high-profile terrorists reflected their exceptional competence.

President Zardari said that while Pakistan was committed to regional and global peace, “enemies of peace” were attempting to sabotage these efforts through terrorism. He reaffirmed that Pakistan would firmly defeat all anti-state and anti-peace elements, adding that the fight against terrorism, including externally supported militancy, would continue.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif reiterated the government’s resolve to completely eradicate terrorism from the country, stating that the sacrifices of security forces would not go in vain.