Six terrorists killed and two soldiers martyred in Dera Ismail Khan operation: ISPR

Pakistan’s security forces killed six suspected terrorists during an intelligence-based operation in Dera Ismail Khan Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa while two soldiers embraced martyrdom during an exchange of fire the military’s media wing said on Sunday.

Pakistan’s security forces killed six suspected terrorists during an intelligence-based operation in Dera Ismail Khan Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa while two soldiers embraced martyrdom during an exchange of fire the military’s media wing said on Sunday.

According to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) the operation was carried out on Saturday in the Zarkani area of Dera Ismail Khan following reports about the presence of militants associated with the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) referred to by the state as Fitna al Khawarij.

In a statement the ISPR said security personnel conducted the operation based on intelligence and killed six militants. Weapons and ammunition were also recovered from those killed, the statement added.

The military said the militants had allegedly been involved in several terrorist activities targeting security forces law enforcement agencies and civilians.

Two soldiers lost their lives during the operation. They were identified as 36-year-old Naik Ghulam Murtaza, from Gujrat, Punjab and 30-year-old Sepoy Taseer Ahmed who belonged to Talagang, Punjab.

The ISPR paid tribute to the soldiers saying they fought bravely while defending the country. Their sacrifices the statement added reflected the commitment of Pakistan’s armed forces to protecting the nation.

Security forces were conducting a follow-up search and clearance operation in the area to locate and eliminate any remaining militants according to the military.

The ISPR reiterated that counterterrorism operations under the government-approved “Azm-i-Istehkam” initiative would continue alongside law enforcement efforts to combat what it described as foreign-sponsored terrorism.

The operation comes amid continuing security challenges in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa. Data compiled by the Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies showed that the province excluding the merged districts recorded 54 terrorist attacks in August compared with 36 in July — an increase of 50 per cent.

Earlier this month, security forces reportedly killed eight militants in another intelligence-based operation in Dera Ismail Khan.

On Friday Chief of Defence Forces and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir reaffirmed the military’s commitment to continuing counterterrorism operations during a visit to Corps Headquarters in Peshawar. He received briefings on the security situation border management and operational readiness.

Separately a report by the Centre for Research and Security Studies found that violence-related fatalities across Pakistan rose by 83 per cent in the third quarter of 2026 compared with the preceding quarter. Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan together accounted for 98 per cent of reported fatalities during that period.