Intelligence reports suggested that terrorists present in different areas of Lachi were planning a major attack
A photo of CTD staff. PHOTO: FILE
PESHAWAR:
At least six terrorists were killed on Sunday in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa’s Kohat during an exchange of fire in a joint operation by the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) and the police, officials said.
Kohat District Police Officer Shehbaz Elahi said the operation was carried out after intelligence reports indicated that terrorists were present in various areas of Lachi and were planning a major attack.
Following the information, heavy forces of CTD and police launched a joint search and strike operation in the area.
According to DPO Elahi, the suspects opened fire as soon as they saw the security personnel. Police and CTD officers returned fire leading to an exchange in which six terrorists were killed.
Police said weapons from the terrorists were also recovered. The DPO added that the area has been completely cordoned off and a search is on.
On Saturday, six terrorists were killed in an intelligence-based operation conducted by KP CTD in Lakki Marwat. The development came after at least seven policemen, including the station house officer of Shadi Khel police station, were martyred on Friday when an improvised explosive device targeted a police mobile in Lakki Marwat.
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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 using 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.
