Peshawar( The COW News Digital)Security forces in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), including the merged tribal districts, have eliminated 892 militants during various operations conducted over the past seven months, according to official sources. Among those killed were 24 highly wanted and dangerous militant commanders.
The operations, based largely on intelligence inputs, were part of a sustained counterterrorism campaign aimed at dismantling terrorist networks operating within the province. These actions were spread across several districts, reflecting a wide geographical sweep of military engagement.
According to data obtained by Express News, security forces neutralized 142 militants in January alone, including 10 high-value commanders who were wanted in several terror cases involving attacks on both civilian and military targets.
In February, operations resulted in the killing of 157 militants, followed by 133 in March, which also included 14 known commanders. Most of those killed had active involvement in planning or executing major attacks and were listed on police and intelligence agency watchlists.
The month of April saw 163 militants, including 12 key figures, eliminated in targeted raids. In May, 88 militants were killed, while June saw 96 militants neutralized through ongoing search-and-destroy missions. The most recent data from July reports 113 militants killed in sustained operations across high-risk zones.
Officials emphasized that these actions were conducted with the aim of restoring peace and preventing cross-border infiltration and internal recruitment by banned outfits. “Each of these neutralized individuals was part of a broader network that posed a direct threat to national security,” a senior security official said.
The operations have largely focused on mountainous terrain and hideouts in remote tribal areas, where remnants of proscribed groups such as Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and other affiliates had regrouped after previous crackdowns.
While the military has not released detailed identity lists for all those killed, it confirmed that several top-tier planners and financiers were among the dead. The operations are said to have significantly disrupted terrorist logistics, funding channels, and recruitment patterns.
Public response in affected regions has been cautiously optimistic, with many local communities welcoming the operations but also calling for enhanced development and education efforts to prevent future radicalization.
This marks one of the most extensive anti-terror offensives conducted in the province since the integration of tribal areas into Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in 2018.
