PESHAWAR: At least three terrorists were killed on Thursday after security forces launched a large-scale operation in the Domel tehsil of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Bannu district.

A police statement said several terrorists were also injured in clashes with security forces. The operation was launched in the tehsil’s Sperka and Kotka Akbar Ali Khan area.

During the operation, security forces have targeted militant hideouts with more than 25 quadcopter strikes, while a heavy exchange of fire continues in the area.

The operation is being supervised by senior police and security officials who are also present in the field.

Security forces have cordoned off the area and launched a search operation to arrest terrorists attempting to flee, which is still ongoing.

Continuous surveillance by drones and helicopters is being carried out in the region, indicating the sensitive nature and importance of the operation.

The objective, security forces said, is to completely clear the area and restore law and order.

Meanwhile, local sources said that amid intense firing and fierce clashes, three civilians were killed, including two women. Due to the severity of the fighting, public access to the area remains restricted, and as a result, the bodies are still lying inside their homes.

Separately, MTI spokesperson Muhammad Noman told Dawn that four injured persons were brought to Khalifa Gul Nawaz Hospital, Bannu Township, including two women and two children.

Earlier this week, two terrorists were killed in an exchange of fire with police in Domel area. The police also recovered weapons and ammunition from the possession of the killed militants.

On January 13, armed assailants killed four members of a peace committee in the district.

The incident took place in the Gulbadin Landi Dak area of Bannu district. According to a senior official of the district police, the victims were all travelling in the same vehicle when armed men opened “indiscriminate fire” on them.

The Bannu district has been the scene of repeated security incidents in recent months, with both civilians and local security actors coming under attack amid a broader surge in militant violence.

Violence in Bannu has included attacks on police and jirga members, prompting targeted operations by police and security forces in various localities to disrupt militant networks.