BAJAUR / KOHAT / PESHAWAR: At least 12 militants were killed in a series of security operations in Bajaur, Hangu and North Waziristan districts between Friday night and Saturday, officials and local sources said.

Separately, a station house officer (SHO) was injured in Hangu during follow-up action after a bomb attack on Friday evening that killed SP Asad Zubair and two police guards.

In the Jhallar area of North Waziristan, security forces killed three militants and averted a “potential catastrophic attack” by destroying a vehicle being prepared for a suicide attack, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said in a statement.

Acting on intelligence about the presence of “Khawarij belonging to Indian proxy Fitna al-Khawarij”, troops “effectively engaged” the militants’ location and destroyed the vehicle besides killing three militants.

SHO wounded in follow-up action after attack on SP

The state uses the term Fitna al-Khawarij to refer to militants of the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).

“A sanitisation operation is being conducted to eliminate any other Indian-sponsored Kharji found in the area as a relentless counterterrorism campaign … by security forces and law enforcement agencies of Pakistan will continue at full pace to wipe out the menace of foreign-sponsored and supported terrorism from the country,” the ISPR said.

Separately, security officials said a targeted operation in War Mamund tehsil of Bajaur left five militants dead and several injured.

The operation, conducted on intelligence reports about the presence of militants in the Badan area, continued over two days, according to residents who confirmed sustained movement by security forces.

Local sources claimed the militants were using a mosque built for refugees as a hideout. The ISPR did not immediately issue a statement on the Bajaur operation.

Leaders of the Bajaur Aman Jirga staged a demonstration in the Umary area on Saturday evening, demanding that authorities avoid harm to civilians during operations.

In Hangu, four militants were killed in an exchange of fire in the rugged mountains on Friday evening. The operation was launched after an improvised explosive device (IED) attack that martyred SP (Operations) Asad Zubair and two guards. The SHO of the Doaba police station was injured in the ensuing action.

The area has witnessed repeated attacks attributed to the banned TTP in recent months.

Published in Dawn, October 26th, 2025