Six militants killed in CTD operation in Lakki Marwat

Six terrorists belonging to the banned Fitna-al-Khawarij terrorist group was killed in an intelligence-based operation conducted by the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) in Lakki Marwat on Saturday.

According to state television Radio Pakistanneutralized CTD terrorists belonging Fitna-al-Khawarija term the state uses for terrorists from the outlawed Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), who were involved in the martyrdom of seven policemen during an attack on Friday.

During the operation, a large stock of weapons and ammunition was also found.

Read: SHO among seven officers martyred in Lakki Marwat IED blast

The development comes after at least seven policemen, including the station house officer of Shadi Khel police station, were killed when an improvised explosive device targeted a police mobile in Lakki Marwat.

President Asif Ali Zardari praised the CTD officers and personnel for conducting the operation in Shagai area of ​​Lakki Marwat.

In a statement issued by the Presidential Secretariat’s media wing, he praised the “bravery, professionalism and timely action” of the CTD team that eliminated six militants.

“The operations against the terrorists from Fitna-al-Khawarijwhich are active with external support, are very significant for the peace of the country,” the President said.

He added that the state was confronting both internal and external threats of terrorism with full force.

“Any attempt to target Pakistan’s urban areas will not be tolerated under any circumstances,” he said, adding that Pakistan’s armed forces and security institutions were fully prepared and determined to defend the country and protect its people.

President Zardari said Pakistan would continue to take all possible steps to protect its territory and citizens from terrorism.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also praised the CTD personnel for the operation.

Also read: 13 terrorists killed in intelligence-based operations across KP, military says

In a statement, he praised the professional skills of CTD officers for killing six militants during the operation.

“The entire nation stands with the security forces and law enforcement agencies in their determination to eradicate terrorism,” the prime minister said.

Terrorism is a growing problem for Pakistan, with the number of attacks increasing every year since 2022, according to Armed Conflict Location & Event Data (ACLED), a global monitoring organization. Data from ACLED shows that attacks in Pakistan have almost quadrupled to 2,425 in 2025 from 658 in 2022, and in the same period TTP attacks have increased more than sevenfold to 838 from 118.

The federal government has consistently raised its voice in international forums against terrorist sanctuaries operating in Afghanistan and has used its soil to launch attacks on Pakistan – a development the UN Security Council attests to.

Last month, a suicide bomber struck Imambargah Khadijah al-Kubra during Friday prayers in Islamabad, killing 36 people and injuring around 169 others. The attack was the deadliest in Islamabad in more than a decade and the deadliest nationwide since the Peshawar mosque bombing in January 2023.