Nine terrorists killed, four personnel martyred in CTD operation near Quetta

QUETTA: At least nine terrorists were killed during a Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) operation on the outskirts of Quetta, while four CTD personnel embraced martyrdom during an intense exchange of fire, officials said on Saturday.

According to a CTD spokesperson, the operation was carried out in the Panjpai and Nohsar areas near Quetta.

During the raid, security forces successfully neutralised nine terrorists. However, four CTD officials were martyred and six others sustained injuries during the gun battle, the spokesperson added.

The injured personnel were shifted to medical facilities for treatment, while security forces launched a clearance operation in the surrounding areas.

The latest operation came only hours after law enforcement agencies conducted an intelligence-based operation in Bannu, where 15 terrorists were killed and more than 10 others injured.

According to the Central Police Office, the Bannu operation was carried out within the jurisdiction of Thana Miryan.

One police officer was martyred during the operation, while another sustained injuries and was shifted to hospital for medical treatment.

Security forces also recovered a 10-kilogram improvised explosive device (IED) during the operation, which was later safely defused.

Pakistan has witnessed a significant surge in terrorist violence, particularly in the provinces of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, following the return of the Afghan Taliban to power in Afghanistan in 2021.

Islamabad has repeatedly urged the Afghan authorities to prevent militant groups from using Afghan territory to launch attacks inside Pakistan.

Pakistani officials maintain that several banned terrorist organisations continue to operate from across the border, despite repeated diplomatic engagements and security talks between the two countries.

Earlier this year, Pakistan launched Operation Ghazab lil-Haq following escalating tensions and cross-border militant attacks.

The operation was initiated months after Pakistan and Afghanistan had agreed to a ceasefire in October 2025 following clashes triggered by unprovoked firing incidents at multiple border points.

Despite several rounds of negotiations, both sides have yet to achieve a comprehensive agreement on counterterrorism cooperation and border security issues.