Pakistan Army captain, 10 terrorists killed in intense Khyber Pakhtunkhwa gunfight

At least 10 terrorists were killed during their exchange of fire with security personnel in Dera Ismail district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in Pakistan. An Army officer was also killed in the attack.

The intelligence-based operation (IBO) was conducted on Thursday, March 20, following reports of the presence of terrorists in the area, a statement from the military’s media wing said.

The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said that during the intense fire exchange, Captain Hasnain Akhtar fought gallantly and made the ultimate sacrifice, leading his troops from the front.

“Hasnain was a brave officer and renowned for his courage and bold and daring actions during previous operations,” it said.

After the gunfight was over, the Army personnel conducted a search operation and seized weapons and ammunition from the killed terrorists.

The terrorists, linked to a banned organisation, have been involved in numerous attacks against law enforcement agencies as well as target killing of innocent civilians.

It further said, “A sanitisation operation is being conducted in the area and the security forces are determined to wipe out the menace of terrorism from the country. Such sacrifices of brave young officers further strengthen our resolve.”

The country has been reeling under increased terrorist attacks especially targeting law enforcers and security forces since the Taliban returned to power in Afghanistan in 2021, particularly in the bordering provinces of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan.

The country witnessed a surge in terror attacks in January 2025 – an increase of 42 per cent compared to the previous month -- according to data released by the Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies (PICSS), a think tank.

The data revealed that at least 74 militant attacks were recorded nationwide, resulting in 91 fatalities, including 35 security personnel, 20 civilians, and 36 militants. Another 117 individuals sustained injuries, including 53 security forces personnel, 54 civilians, and 10 militants.

(With PTI inputs)