Dera Ismail Khan, October 4, 2026: Security forces killed eight terrorists during an intelligence-based operation (IBO) in Dera Ismail Khan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, security sources said on Sunday.
According to state-run Radio Pakistan, the slain terrorists were identified as members of Fitna-al-Khawarij, a term used by the state for militants belonging to the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).
Three key terrorist commanders were among those killed, while foreign currency and a large quantity of arms and ammunition were recovered from their possession, the report said.
The operation was conducted as part of Azm-i-Istehkam, launched in June 2024 as a national effort to eliminate extremism and terrorism from the country.
President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif commended the security forces for the “timely and effective” operation in DI Khan.
Prime Minister Shehbaz said the Pakistani nation stood shoulder to shoulder with the security forces in the fight against terrorism.
President Zardari said the “nefarious designs” of terrorists operating under foreign patronage and with the support of local facilitators would never be allowed to succeed.
KP has witnessed a persistent surge in militant violence and security challenges.
According to data compiled by the Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies (PICSS), the province, excluding the merged districts, recorded 54 terrorist attacks in August, compared with 36 in July — an increase of 50 per cent.
Security forces have intensified intelligence-based operations across the province in response to the attacks.
On Saturday, state media reported that five Fitna-al-Khawarij terrorists were killed in an IBO in South Waziristan.
On Friday, seven terrorists were killed in an IBO in the Eidak area of North Waziristan, while three were killed in Mir Ali on Wednesday.
Five terrorists were killed in an IBO in Bara on Tuesday, while four were killed in DI Khan on Monday.
On September 17, security forces killed 10 terrorists in separate operations across KP between September 15 and 17. Earlier in the month, more than 20 terrorists were killed in multiple engagements between September 3 and 5.
The province has also witnessed several deadly attacks in recent weeks.
On September 18, a major attack at the old Police Lines in Kohat claimed 23 lives and injured around 100 people. Eight terrorists were killed during an overnight clearance operation.
On September 26, 14 people, including two rescue officials, were martyred and 35 others injured in DI Khan after a suicide bomber rammed an explosives-laden vehicle into a police checkpost and subsequently targeted an ambulance carrying bodies to a hospital.
