LAKKI MARWAT: Se­­curity forces killed 22 terrorists in an intelligence-based operation (IBO) in Bannu district, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said on Tuesday.

The IBO was conducted a day earlier on the repo­r­ted presence of Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) operatives in the area.

During the operation, troops effectively engaged their location and killed 22 terrorists after an intense exchange of fire, the statement said.

Local officials said a ter­­rorists’ training centre, es­­tablished inside a school in the Narmikhel area with­­in the limits of the Ba­­kakhel police station, was targe­t­­ed and destroyed in an air strike. They added that securi­­ty personnel also seized a huge cache of arms, am­­munition and explosives during the operation.

The army’s media wing further stated that a sanitisation operation was un­­d­erway to eliminate any remaining terrorists in the area.

Jirga meetings

Meanwhile, police auth­orities and tribal elders agreed to strengthen coordination and liaison to establish lasting peace in the region.

At separate jirga meetings held at the regional police office in Bannu on Tuesday, Mamashkhel and Maman­d­khel elders briefed government officials on the security situation and the role of jirgas in resolving disputes.

Regional Police Officer (RPO) Saj­jad Khan attended the meetings, along with other officials, which were convened after elders expressed concerns about clearing orchards and avoiding construction of double-storey buildings in light of multiple recent attacks on security forces from the area.

Both sides discussed in detail the overall law and order situation, reg­ional security, the importance of the jirga system and the need for close coordination between the police and the public for peace efforts.

The RPO assured elders that all available resources were being utilised to establish durable peace across the region.

Published in Dawn, November 26th, 2025