ISPR claims one of the killed terrorists was ‘Waheedullah’, responsible for martyrdom of Lt Col Gul Faraz
DERA ISMAIL KHAN:
A policeman was martyred and four terrorists, including two highly wanted commanders, were killed in two separate intelligence operations in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, officials confirmed on Monday.
In an operation, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) in a statement said, “After an intense exchange of fire, two khwarij, belonging to the Indian-sponsored Fitna-al-Khwarij, including Kharji Ring leader Waheedullah alias Muktiar, along with a suicide bomber were sent to hell.” A suicide vest, arms and ammunition were also recovered from the deceased terrorists.
The state uses the term Fitna al Khawarij to refer to terrorists belonging to the banned group Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).
The ISPR said terror network leader Waheedullah was “among the most wanted terrorists” due to his involvement in multiple terrorist activities, including attacks that led to the “shahadat of security force personnel and innocent civilians”.
According to the statement, he was also the main perpetrator of a suicide bomber in Bannu district on February 21, 2026, an attack in which Lt. Col. Gul Faraz was martyred.
On February 22, 2026, during an intelligence operation against terrorists, including a suicide bomber, a security forces convoy was “targeted by Indian proxy Fitna al Khawarij.” The ISPR said the vehicle-borne suicide bomber was intercepted and the terrorists rammed an explosive-laden vehicle into a security force vehicle. As a result, Lt Col Shahzada Gul Faraz (43) of Mansehra, who led from the front, and Sepoy Karamat Shah (28) of Peshawar, embraced martyrdom.
The ISPR said the operation had “effectively avenged this heinous act and brought the main perpetrator to justice”, adding that “timely action by security forces also averted a major catastrophe”.
The ISPR said that a disinfection operation is underway in the area to eliminate all remaining terrorists. He added that Pakistan’s “relentless anti-terrorism campaign under the ‘Azm-e-Istehkam’ vision”, approved by the Supreme Federal Committee on National Action Plan, will continue in full swing.
Lakki Marwat
In a separate operation carried out by the Anti-Terrorism Department (CTD), two terrorists were killed, including a much-wanted commander, and a police constable was martyred in the Akhundan Forest Civil Camp area near Bannu border, a CTD spokesperson said on Monday.
Read: Afridi waits for Imran’s signal to move to Islamabad
The spokesperson said in a statement that Lakki Police successfully carried out a targeted intelligence-driven operation in the border area adjacent to Bannu district, where there was heavy exchange of fire with terrorists linked to “Fitna al-Khawarij”.
According to the statement, two militants were killed and several others injured. Taking advantage of the darkness and forest terrain, the terrorists managed to escape with their injured companions.
During the operation, Police Constable Atiqur Rehman (FRP) embraced martyrdom “while displaying exceptional courage and sacrifice for the country”, the statement said.
Among those killed was a much-wanted commander, Amir Sohail alias Aqabi, also known as Omar Khattab, son of Muhammad Zaman alias Guloon, resident of Kotka Shah Muhammad, Lakki Marwat. He was wanted by the CTD in several cases, including targeted killings, attacks on police and security forces, bombings and other serious crimes.
The spokesperson said a large-scale search operation involving police, CTD and armored vehicles was underway in the area. He added that the Lakki Marwat Police plays a frontline role in the fight against terrorism and remains committed to eliminating militancy, while all available resources are used to maintain peace and order in the district.
The KP has been battling terrorism since the US ouster from Afghanistan, with terrorists often crossing the border to target police convoys and vehicles, leading to the deaths of several officials and personnel.
Two Federal Police (FC) personnel were killed after unidentified motorcycle-borne terrorists opened fire on them in Bannu on Sunday. According to police sources, the FC members were shopping in a local market when attackers suddenly opened fire on them. The attackers fled after the shooting.
The province has seen a surge in terrorist attacks, accounting for the highest number of incidents in the country. Of the total 5,397 incidents reported last year, KP recorded 3,811, followed by Balochistan with 1,557 incidents. Only 29 incidents were reported in the rest of the country. A total of 2,597 terrorists were killed during the year.
