4 cops including DSP martyred, 2 terrorists killed during exchange of fire in KP's Karak: police

LAKKI MARWAT: Four policemen, including two officials, were martyred and two terrorists were killed during an exchange of fire in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Karak district on Thursday, police said.

A statement by the KP police said law enforcers had initiated a search and strike operation in the Charpara area at noon, where terrorists had set up a blockade on Wednesday night.

The operation was led by Banda Daud Shah and Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) deputy superintendents of police (DSP), in which bomb disposal unit (BDU) personnel, a drone team, Rescue 15 personnel and Rapid Response Force personnel also participated, the statement said.

“During the operation, the law enforcers raided the hideout of a terrorist commander, Qaiser Iqbal, where an exchange of fire took place,” the police said, adding that two terrorists were killed in the encounter.

CTD DSP Imranuddin Khan, Latambar Station House Officer (SHO) Sub-Inspector (SI) Afzal Awan, Constable Kazim and Head Constable Amjab from the BDU were martyred in the exchange of fire.

The statement said the operation was ongoing.

It added, “The brave martyred personnel of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Police have set a shining example of dedication to duty, courage, and a commitment to public safety by sacrificing their lives in the fight against terrorism.”

The statement said the sacrifices of the martyred policemen reflected the police force’s “unwavering resolve” to continue making every possible effort to eradicate terrorism and establish lasting peace in the region.

KP Governor Faisal Karim Kundi condemned the incident and expressed sorrow over the martyrdom of four police personnel.

“The sacrifices of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa police in the fight against terrorism are unforgettable. The blood of our martyrs will not go to waste; our resolve against terrorism will be further strengthened, and the struggle for the establishment of peace will continue,” he said.

KP has been witnessing terrorist attacks and security challenges for a long time, including attacks on police personnel.

Thursday’s operation comes around 20 days after several terrorist hideouts were destroyed during a joint search and strike operation in Karak.

In September, two terrorists were killed in an intelligence-based operation in Lakki Marwat, and in August, a police constable was martyred and six officials were injured when an improvised explosive device was used to attack a police patrol van.

According to a recent report from the Centre for Research and Security Studies, Pakistan recor­ded a sharp 83 per cent increase in violence-linked fatalities during the third quarter of 2026, re­­versing a declining trend reported in the first and second quarters as terrorism and counter-terrorism deaths surged nationwide.

Balochistan and KP remained the epicentres of violence, jointly accounting for 98pc of all fatalities during the period. Balochistan recorded 829 deaths, nearly 59pc of the national total, while KP reported 556 fatalities, accounting for more than 39pc.