Six terrorists killed in joint CTD-police operation in Kohat

• Security forces cordon off area; search operation continues.
• Action follows recent surge in violence in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
• Blast near police vehicle in Lakki Marwat martyred seven cops.

The Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) and the police killed six terrorists in a joint operation conducted in Kohat district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Sunday, District Police Officer (DPO) Shehbaz Elahi said.

The DPO said that the operation was conducted in the Lachi area of Kohat, adding that weapons were also recovered from the killed terrorists.

He added that a search operation is underway and the area has been cordoned off.

The operation comes in the wake of recent violence in the province as the security forces have intensified counter-terrorism efforts.

A day earlier, the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) conducted an intelligence-based operation in the area that resulted in the killing of at least six suspected militants. The action followed a deadly blast on Friday near a police vehicle in the Bettani tribal area of Lakki Marwat, which martyred at least seven police personnel.

Pakistan has witnessed a rise in cross-border terrorist activity, particularly in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan provinces, which share a border with Afghanistan, since the Taliban regained control of Afghanistan in 2021.

In response to the escalating terror incidents, Pakistan launched "Operation Ghazab lil-Haq," during which at least 663 Afghan Taliban fighters have been killed in strikes conducted along the border and inside the neighbouring country.

According to Information Minister Attaullah Tarar, over 887 Afghan Taliban fighters have been injured, 249 checkposts destroyed, 44 captured, and 224 tanks, armoured vehicles, and artillery guns eliminated.

He said that 70 terrorists and terrorist support infrastructure locations across Afghanistan were effectively targeted by air.

Prior to this operation, Pakistan had also targeted seven terrorist camps and hideouts along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border belonging to Fitna al Khawarij, its affiliates, and Daesh-Khorasan, in retaliation for recent suicide attacks.

The airstrikes were carried out in Nangarhar, Paktika, and Khost provinces of Afghanistan, the security sources said, adding that more than 80 militants were killed in the airstrikes.

The two countries, back in October 2025, were also engaged in border clashes after the Afghan Taliban and militants launched unprovoked attacks against Pakistan’s border posts.

The resulting clashes led to the killing of over 200 Taliban and affiliated militants, while 23 Pakistani soldiers were martyred defending the motherland.

However, despite many rounds of talks, both countries failed to reach an agreement due to the Afghan Taliban regime's reluctance to take action against terrorist outfits.