Security forces carried out an intelligence-based operation (IBO) in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Bannu district on April 19, killing two terrorists, including a key ring leader, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said on Monday.
According to the military’s media wing, the operation was launched on reported presence of militants in the area. Following an intense exchange of fire, two “khwarij” affiliated with what it described as the Indian-sponsored Fitna-al-Khwarij network were killed, including ring leader Waheedullah alias Mukhtiar and a suicide bomber.
The ISPR said security forces recovered a suicide jacket, weapons, and ammunition from the site.
Waheedullah was listed among the most wanted terrorists due to his involvement in multiple attacks targeting security forces and civilians, the statement added. He was also identified as the main handler of a suicide bomber involved in the February 21, 2026 attack in Bannu that resulted in the martyrdom of Lieutenant Colonel Gul Faraz.
The military said the operation “avenged the heinous act” and prevented a potential major attack. A sanitisation operation is underway to clear any remaining militants in the area.
Reiterating its counterterrorism stance under the national framework “Azm-e-Istehkam,” the ISPR said operations against foreign-sponsored terrorism will continue across the country.
Pakistan has witnessed a rise in militant violence in recent years, particularly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan. Security officials attribute this increase to cross-border militancy following the 2021 takeover of Afghanistan by the Taliban.
Authorities maintain that ongoing counterterror operations aim to dismantle militant networks and prevent further attacks on security forces and civilians.