Peshawar, September 24, 2026: A police officer was martyred and two others were injured on Thursday during an exchange of fire between terrorists and the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) on the outskirts of Peshawar, a senior CTD official said.
According to the official, the CTD received information about the presence of terrorists in the Garhi Sherdad area near Warsak Road and launched an operation against them.
“The moment the CTD team reached the area, the terrorists opened fire at the raiding party,” the official said.
He confirmed that one police officer was martyred and two others sustained injuries, while one terrorist was also killed during the exchange of fire.
The official said the firefight was continuing as of Thursday afternoon, while personnel from other law enforcement agencies had also reached the area. The locality was cordoned off as the operation continued.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Faisal Karim Kundi strongly condemned the incident and expressed condolences to the family of the martyred officer.
“My prayers are with the two injured officers, and I pray for their swift and complete recovery,” he said.
The governor paid tribute to the security personnel, saying the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa remained indebted to those who risked their lives to protect others.
The latest incident comes amid increased militant activity in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in recent months, with law enforcement agencies and security forces coming under attack and authorities intensifying counterterrorism operations.
Earlier this month, five terrorists were killed in an exchange of fire with CTD personnel in the Shamshatoo area on the Peshawar-Nowshera district border. Police said one of those killed was Imran, alias Abdullah, alias Bilal, alias Abu Bakar, a key commander of the banned Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP).
Police said Imran was a proclaimed offender wanted by the CTD in connection with 20 cases involving bomb blasts, targeted killings of police personnel and political leaders, and other acts of terrorism in Islamabad and elsewhere in the country.
A week earlier, four terrorists, including a militant commander and an Afghan national, were killed in a CTD encounter in Peshawar’s Badhber area.
According to a CTD statement, militant commander Tahir alias Muawiya, a resident of Shakas in Khyber tribal district, had been seen in the area along with associates and was allegedly involved in activities aimed at challenging the writ of the government.
