CTD guns down six top militants in Lower Dir raid

Six most-wanted terrorists were killed on Wednesday in a joint operation carried out by the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and the district police in Lower Dir. The slain militants were affiliated with the Indian-sponsored Fitna al-Khawarij.

According to a CTD press release, the operation was launched after intelligence reports confirmed that a terrorist group was hiding in the mountainous areas of Lower Dir. The encounter took place in the Brichar area of Talash, in the district's rugged hill terrain.

The militants had recently attacked the Badwan Bridge police check post, killing Constable Muhammad Ismail. Following that attack, the CTD and district police quickly cordoned off the area. When the terrorists later emerged from their hideouts, and appeared to be planning another attack, security personnel attempted to arrest them. The militants responded by opening indiscriminate fire, prompting police to retaliate in self-defence.

Also Read: ISPR confirms elimination of 27 militants in North Waziristan IBOs

A subsequent search operation confirmed all six terrorists were dead. Among those identified were Khalil-ur-Rehman, Naeem-ud-Din, and Kifayatullah, while the identities of the remaining three are still being determined. From the site, security forces recovered six Kalashnikov rifles, three hand grenades, and numerous rounds of ammunition.

KP Inspector General of Police Zulfiqar Hameed commended the performance of the CTD and district police, vowing that operations would continue with full force until terrorism is eliminated from the province. The Additional IG CTD added that the blood of the martyrs would not go in vain, and that every possible step would be taken to safeguard the lives and property of the public.

وفاقی وزیرداخلہ محسن نقوی کی لوئر دیر کے علاقے میں خوارجیوں کے خلاف کامیاب آپریشن پر سی ٹی ڈی خیبرپختونخوا اور پولیس کی ستائش
وزیرداخلہ نے 6 دہشتگردوں کو جہنم رسید کرنے پر سی ٹی ڈی اور پولیس کی پیشہ وارانہ مہارت کو سراہا

— Ministry of Interior GoP (@MOIofficialGoP) June 24, 2026

Federal Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi also lauded the CTD and police for the operation, with Naqvi praising the professional competence of the teams and saying their courage and effective action had ruined the militants' plans. He added that the nation takes pride in the bravery of CTD and police personnel for their role in protecting public safety and maintaining peace in the province. 

According to a recent security assessment, KP recorded 1,588 terrorism-related incidents, reflecting a growing militant threat across both settled and tribal districts. Despite the rise in attacks, security forces say they thwarted 320 major strikes, while 137 police personnel were killed in the line of duty. Joint operations by KP Police, the CTD, and other security agencies have led to the arrest of 1,244 suspected militants, while 420 were killed in intelligence-based operations.