At least six terrorists were killed on Sunday in Kohat, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, during a joint operation by the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) and police, according to officials. The operation was launched based on intelligence reports indicating the presence of terrorists in various areas of Lachi who were planning a significant attack.
Kohat District Police Officer Shehbaz Elahi stated that upon receiving the intelligence, a joint search and strike operation was swiftly conducted by heavy contingents of the CTD and police in the targeted area. As security personnel approached, the suspects initiated gunfire, prompting the officers to return fire. This exchange resulted in the death of six terrorists, with weapons also being recovered from the assailants.
DPO Elahi confirmed that the area has been completely sealed off, and a thorough search operation is currently underway. The incident follows a similar operation in Lakki Marwat, where six terrorists were killed by the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa CTD. This action was taken in response to the loss of seven police personnel, including the station house officer of Shadi Khel police station, in a recent attack involving an improvised explosive device in Lakki Marwat.
Terrorism remains a pressing concern for Pakistan, with a notable increase in attacks reported annually since 2022, as highlighted by data from the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data (ACLED) organization. The statistics reveal a substantial rise in attacks in Pakistan, reaching 2,425 in 2025 from 658 in 2022. During the same period, Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) attacks surged to 838 from 118.
The Pakistani government has consistently raised alarms on global platforms regarding terrorist safe havens operating in Afghanistan and utilizing its territory to launch assaults on Pakistan, a concern acknowledged by the United Nations Security Council. In a recent tragic incident, a suicide bombing at the Imambargah Khadijah al-Kubra in Islamabad during Friday prayers resulted in the death of 36 individuals and injuries to around 169 others. This attack marked the deadliest in Islamabad in over a decade and the most severe nationwide since the Peshawar mosque bombing in January 2023.
