Six terrorists killed in separate operations in Khyber and Bannu

KHYBER/BANNU: Six terrorists were killed in two separate operations carried out by security forces in Khyber and Bannu districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Tuesday, according to security officials.

In Khyber district, five terrorists were killed during what officials described as a major counter-terrorism operation in the Akkakhel area of Bara. Security officials said the operation was launched in Tandori village of Akkakhel, which borders Khazankhel village on the outskirts of Peshawar.

Officials said the militants had, over the past few weeks, moved down from the restive Tirah Valley and assembled in considerable numbers in Tandori village and Khazankhel. They said the operation was initiated because of the continuing threat posed by their presence in the area.

According to the officials, the operation was planned with particular focus on preventing harm to civilians. They said quadcopters and drones were not used in order to reduce the possibility of civilian casualties.

Operation in Bannu

In a separate action in Bannu district, security forces killed a wanted terrorist identified as Naeemat Wazir, alias Grenade, during a counter-terrorism operation in Mamatin Khel in the Jani Khel subdivision of Wazir.

Security officials said there was an intense exchange of fire between security personnel and terrorists during the operation, which resulted in Wazir’s killing. They said he was allegedly involved in multiple acts of terrorism and was regarded as an important figure in fuelling unrest in the area.

The two operations took place on the same day in different parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, with officials providing details of the locations, the number of militants killed and the circumstances under which the actions were carried out.

Officials said the Khyber operation specifically took into account the presence of civilians in and around the targeted villages, and that the decision to avoid the use of aerial surveillance and strike tools was made to minimise collateral damage.

In Bannu, officials said the operation in Mamatin Khel led to direct armed engagement, ending with the killing of the wanted militant.

No further details were provided in the official account regarding recoveries or any casualties among security personnel in either operation.