On 17th June, the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) killed three terrorists of Fitna Al-Khawarij, after which it carried out a search operation in the area and recovered a cache of weapons.

The CTD said it was carried out in the Shabqadar area, based on intelligence inputs about the presence of militants. In the raid, there was a gun battle between the terrorists and security forces in which all three militants were killed.

The CTD had identified two of the slain terrorists as wanted suspect Hayat Khan alias Hayatullah, who was alleged to have been involved in the targeted killing of Maulana Izzatullah and Asim, who targeted police officers and religious leaders in Khyber District.

“The third terrorist is still being identified,” officials said. The CTD said the security forces found 3 Kalashnikov rifles, some other weapons and hand grenades in the hands of the slain terrorists.

They said such a search operation was ongoing to locate any accomplices who may have been able to flee the area. Around the area, extra security has been put in place.

Five terrorists were killed in an intel-based encounter in a border area near Attock, a day earlier, by the Punjab CTD. The department had credible intelligence that terrorists who were in the area had finalised plans to attack in various parts of Punjab, the CTD spokesperson said.

He added that the raid took place at the place where the suspects were said to be hiding, where the suspects were against law enforcement, leading to a shooting incident. As a result, all five terrorists were killed, he added.

The spokesman explained that the terrorists killed were members of the group “Fitna al-Khawarij”.

A suicide jacket, three SMGs, two hand grenades and ammunition were recovered from their possession, the spokesman added, and identification of the terrorists is underway, and search operations in adjoining areas have been launched. He also encouraged the citizens to call the CTD helpline for any suspicious activity.