16 terrorists killed, two policemen martyred in ongoing joint Bannu operation: sources

• Two key militant commanders killed during operatiom.
• Funeral prayers offered for martyred policemen in Bannu
• Drones, surveillance technology used to monitor militant movement

BANNU: At least 16 terrorists, including two ringleaders, were killed while two policemen embraced martyrdom during an ongoing joint operation conducted by the Pakistan Army, police and the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) in Bannu, security sources said on Sunday.

According to security sources, the operation was launched a day earlier in the Miryan area of Bannu after reports regarding the presence of militants.

A day earlier, security forces killed 15 terrorists while a policeman embraced martyrdom during the ongoing operation in Bannu’s Miryan area.

Meanwhile, security sources said another terrorist was killed during the operation, taking the total number of militants killed to 16. The slain militants include the wanted commander Zamri Noor and the Afghan militant commander Abdullah Saeed.

Security sources said several militant hideouts were also destroyed during the raid carried out jointly by the Pakistan Army, police and CTD personnel.

Two police personnel, Constable Waheedullah Khan and Constable Noorullah Khan, were martyred during the operation.

Funeral prayers for the martyred policemen were offered at Police Lines Bannu, attended by senior civil and military officials, local elders and members of the public.

The development comes as part of the operation launched in Bannu on Saturday, which also led to the recovery of a 10-kilogram improvised explosive device (IED), which was safely defused by security forces.

Authorities said modern drones and advanced surveillance technology were used during the raid to monitor militant movement.

Security sources said the Pakistan Army, police and other law enforcement agencies were continuing joint operations against terrorists and vowed that actions against Fitna al-Khawarij would continue until the elimination of the last militant.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Inspector General of Police Zulfiqar Hameed said operations against Fitna al-Khawarij and terrorists would continue, adding that KP Police remained on the front line for the protection of public life and property and would respond decisively to every attack by militants.

Pakistan has seen a sharp increase in cross-border terrorist incidents, particularly in the bordering provinces of KP and Balochistan, since the Afghan Taliban grabbed power in Afghanistan in 2021.

Islamabad has repeatedly urged Kabul to prevent its soil from being used by terrorist organisations to carry out attacks inside its territory.

However, the Afghan Taliban regime refused to act against terror groups involved in countless attacks on Pakistani security forces and civilians.

Pakistan launched Operation Ghazab lil-Haq in February this year, months after the two countries agreed to a ceasefire in October 2025, following clashes triggered by unprovoked gunfire by the Afghan Taliban regime at multiple border points.

Despite many rounds of talks, both countries have so far failed to reach an agreement due to the Afghan Taliban regime's reluctance to take action against terrorist outfits operating from its soil.