Bannu: Five terrorists were killed during separate intelligence-based operations (IBOs) conducted by law enforcement agencies in Bannu following last week’s deadly attack on the Fateh Khel police check post, senior police officials said on Saturday.
Regional Police Officer Sajjad Khan confirmed that security operations were continuing in multiple areas of the district in response to the recent escalation in militant violence.
According to the RPO, the terrorists killed during the operations were involved in attacks targeting security forces, the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD), and civilians.
The intelligence-based operations were launched after a major terrorist assault on the Fateh Khel police check post in Bannu last week.
In that attack, militants belonging to Fitna al-Khawarij carried out a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device (VBIED) attack on the police facility, killing 15 policemen and injuring four others, including a civilian.
The explosion caused severe destruction at the check post, with armoured vehicles and nearby infrastructure heavily damaged.
Following the attack, Pakistani authorities summoned the Afghan Charge d’Affaires to lodge a strong diplomatic protest against the Afghan Taliban regime over alleged cross-border militant activity.
According to a statement issued by Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, evidence collected during investigations and technical intelligence assessments indicated that the attack had been planned and directed by terrorists operating from Afghan territory.
Pakistan conveyed its serious concerns regarding the continued use of Afghan soil by militant groups to launch attacks against Pakistani security forces and civilians.
The Foreign Office stressed that the Afghan Taliban administration must fulfil its commitments to prevent terrorist organisations from operating from inside Afghanistan.
Islamabad also warned that Pakistan would not compromise on its national security or the protection of its citizens if cross-border terrorism continued.
Pakistan has witnessed a sharp increase in militant violence since the Afghan Taliban returned to power in Afghanistan in 2021.
Most of the attacks have occurred in the bordering provinces of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, where security forces have repeatedly faced cross-border assaults and militant infiltration.
Pakistani authorities have consistently urged Kabul to stop terrorist groups from using Afghan territory as safe havens for operations against Pakistan.
However, Islamabad maintains that the Afghan Taliban regime has failed to take effective action against militant organisations responsible for repeated attacks on Pakistani forces and civilians.
Earlier this year, Pakistan launched Operation Ghazab lil-Haq in February following continued cross-border attacks and deteriorating security conditions.
The operation was launched months after Pakistan and Afghanistan had agreed to a ceasefire in October 2025 following deadly border clashes triggered by what Islamabad described as unprovoked firing by Afghan Taliban forces at multiple crossing points.
Despite several rounds of diplomatic and military-level talks between the two neighbouring countries, tensions remain high as both sides continue to disagree over the presence and activities of militant groups operating near the border.
Security forces have intensified counterterrorism operations in recent weeks amid fears of further attacks targeting police personnel, military installations, and civilians in northwestern Pakistan.