Eight TTP militants killed in police operation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

Eight terrorists linked to the banned Tehreek‑i‑Taliban Pakistan (TTP) were killed and several others wounded during a major intelligence‑based police operation in Pakistan’s northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province on Sunday, authorities said. The operation was carried out jointly by the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) and local police in the Bahadur Khel area of Karak district near the border with Kohat district, in the south of the province.

Regional Police Officer (RPO) Kohat, Abbas Majeed Marwat, said the action was launched after credible intelligence reports indicated the presence of TTP militants in the mountainous terrain under the jurisdiction of Khurram Police Station. In the ensuing fierce exchange of fire, multiple militant hideouts were destroyed. Marwat described the operation as an important success in ongoing counterterrorism efforts aimed at dismantling militant networks in the region.

Police confirmed that two of their own personnel were injured in the encounter and were shifted to a nearby medical facility in stable condition. Security forces have intensified such intelligence‑based operations across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in recent months to curb insurgent movements and maintain public safety.

The bodies of the slain militants remain in the rugged hilly area, as their accomplices have repeatedly attempted to retrieve them by opening fire on police, prolonging the engagement. Local officials said the difficult terrain continues to challenge clearance operations, which are ongoing.

This operation comes amid a broader surge in militant activity in the province, including recent ambushes on security personnel that resulted in the deaths of several officers, highlighting persistent threats from TTP fighters operating along porous border regions and difficult landscapes.