Security forces in Pakistan’s north-western province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa killed three terrorists, including an Afghan national, during a late-night intelligence-based operation (IBO) in the Ali Masjid area of Khyber district, near the Afghan border.

The Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) said the operation targeted Fazal Noor, a commander of the Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP), and his associates. Upon arrival at the site, militants opened fire on security teams, sparking a heavy 30-minute gun battle. 

After the exchange subsided, a SWAT unit conducted a search and recovered the bodies of three militants identified as Muhammad Naeem and Muhammad Karim of Karak, and Noor Nabi of Afghanistan’s Nangarhar province, all linked to ISKP. According to CTD, two of the slain men had direct involvement in a deadly suicide bombing in Peshawar that claimed the lives of a sub-inspector and constable earlier this year.

The successful operation highlights Pakistan’s continued counter-terror focus along the sensitive Afghan frontier, where ISKP and other outlawed outfits maintain cross-border networks.

Based On PTI Report