BANNU: A suspected militant was killed during an operation conducted by the police peace committee in Ghoriwala area here on Saturday morning, sources said.

They said that the suspected militant identified as Zainullah alias Salar was a resident of North Waziristan. He was presently living in Ghoriwala area of Bannu, they added.

They said that the police peace committee conducted an operation against suspected militants in the area, during which Zainullah was killed. However, details regarding cases registered against him, his activities and other aspects of the operation are yet to emerge.

Official confirmation of Zainullah’s status as a wanted terrorist and details of other casualties or arrests during the operation were also still awaited.

Bannu witnessed several militant attacks, civilian casualties and security operations during last month. On Sept 13, two civilians were injured in a quadcopter attack at Shakir Chowk in Bakakhel area of the district.

On Sept 15, policeman Ahmadullah was killed in a firing incident in the limits of Bannu Cantt police station. On Sept 16, two civilians, including a woman, were killed and two others received injuries in a suspected militant quadcopter attack in Wazir subdivision of Bannu.

Following the incident, police, Counter-Terrorism Department, Elite Force and members of the peace committee conducted a joint operation. According to police, a suspected militant was killed during the operation.

On Sept30, militants freed 13 hostages after talks with local elders in the mountainous Hathikhel area in Bannu.

Published in Dawn, October 11th, 2026