LOWER DIR: The Kh­y­ber Pakhtunkhwa Coun­ter-Terrorism Department (CTD) and Lower Dir police killed six suspected terrorists during an operation in the district’s hilly areas on Wednesday.

According to a CTD statement, the individuals were “most-wanted terrorists” involved in a recent attack on the Badwan Bridge checkpost in Lower Dir, where a police constable was martyred.

The CTD and district police had cordoned off the area following the attack on the Badwan Bridge checkpost.

It said the CTD and district police received information about the presence of “a group of Fitna al-Khawarij terrorists in the hilly areas of Lower Dir” and tried to arrest them when they emerged from their hideouts.

“But, the terrorists opened indiscriminate fire on police parties,” the statement said, adding that law enforcers retaliated by firing back.

Fitna al-Khawarij is a term used by the state for the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan.

The CTD statement said the exchange of fire continued for a prolonged period and “six terrorists were found dead in the ensuing search operation”.

According to the CTD, the slain individuals were wanted in several cases of terrorism.

“Six Kalashnikovs, three hand grenades and multiple cartridges were found in their possession,” the statement said, adding that a search operation was underway to arrest their accomplices who had fled.

It also said KP Inspector General of Police Zulfiqar Hameed commended the district police and CTD, reaffirming that these operations “will continue with full force until terrorism is eradicated from the province and that the writ of the state will be maintained”.

Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi also praised the CTD and police for the “successful operation”, according to a post by the interior ministry on X. “The interior minister commended the professional expertise of the CTD and police for sending six terrorists to hell,” it said.

Girls’ school blown up

Separately, unidentified miscreants blew up a government girls’ primary school using explosives late on Tuesday night in the Sara Ghowara area of Birmal tehsil in Lower South Waziristan, police said.

According to District Police Officer Muhammad Tahir Shah, the school building was destroyed in the explosion. DPO Shah told Dawn that police had registered an initial report in the daily log and launched an investigation into the incident. No individual or group had claimed responsibility until the filing of this report.

According to local police and residents, attacks targeting educational institutions have increased.

AK Wazir in South Waziristan also contributed to this report

Published in Dawn, June 25th, 2026