PESHAWAR, Sep 11 (Alliance News): Five terrorists, including a wanted commander of a banned militant organisation, were killed during a Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) operation in Peshawar, police officials said on Friday.
The operation was conducted in the Shamshatoo Camp area of the provincial capital, according to a CTD spokesperson.
The CTD identified one of those killed as commander Imran, who was wanted in 20 terrorism cases and carried a bounty of Rs120 million.
According to the department, Imran was allegedly involved in the killings of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl leader Maulana Khan Zeb, Senator Hidayatullah and Rehan Zeb.
The CTD also described him as the alleged mastermind of the suicide attack on the Tarlai Imambargah.
Security officials recovered an SMG, four pistols, two hand grenades and an improvised explosive device (IED) during the operation, the spokesperson said.
Another militant killed in the operation was identified as Shahidullah. The CTD alleged that he had carried out reconnaissance for the Tarlai Imambargah suicide attack.
The operation comes amid intensified security efforts against militants in different parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
According to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), security forces killed at least 21 India-backed Fitna al-Khawarij militants during multiple engagements in the province between September 3 and 5.
In another operation, security forces initially killed 15 terrorists while foiling an infiltration attempt. Ten more militants who had taken shelter in the area were subsequently killed, bringing the reported total to 25.
Pakistan has witnessed a rise in militant violence, particularly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, since 2021, when the Afghan Taliban returned to power in Afghanistan.
A report by the Centre for Research and Security Studies (CRSS) identified KP and Balochistan as the country’s main violence hotspots during the second quarter of 2026.
The report said the two provinces accounted for nearly 96% of violence-related fatalities during the period. KP recorded more than 61% of the deaths, with 475 fatalities, while Balochistan accounted for 265 deaths, or 34%.
KP also recorded the highest number of violent incidents, with 151 cases, representing 57% of the national total. Balochistan followed with 94 incidents, accounting for 35%.
