Pakistani security agencies recently carried out a successful joint intelligence-driven operation targeting militants affiliated with the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), locally known as Fitna al Khwarij, in the rugged Hassan Khel area on the outskirts of Peshawar and Kohat.
The operation involved a coordinated effort by the army, police, Frontier Corps, and Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD), launched after intelligence indicated militant activity in the region, which has experienced multiple attacks on law enforcement personnel in recent months.
A senior official confirmed that the offensive took place in the Hassan Khel subdivision, where an exchange of gunfire resulted in several militants being wounded and many others believed killed. Their hideouts were also demolished during the raid.
The operation was overseen by Peshawar Capital City Police Officer Dr. Mian Saeed Ahmed, alongside senior military commanders and SSP Operations Farhan Khan. Advanced drone technology was utilized effectively, including anti-drone guns to thwart potential militant counterattacks, while sharpshooters armed with sniper rifles participated in the mission.
Besides regular forces, the police’s anti-terrorism squad and elite units were actively involved. Additionally, law enforcement personnel repaired government infrastructure, such as a gas pipeline previously damaged by militants in the area.
Hassan Khel, situated along the border of Peshawar and Kohat districts, has been a focal point for repeated intelligence-based operations aimed at dismantling militant networks. This latest action follows the recent abduction and killing of two policemen in the vicinity.
On 13 April, policeman Munsif Azam was abducted by unidentified armed men and later found murdered. This incident occurred just three days after another officer, Muqaddar Khan, was similarly kidnapped and killed in the same locality.
Earlier, on 8 February, police successfully repelled a militant assault on checkpoints in nearby Passani village. In November 2023, militants targeted a gas pipeline in the Hameed Khan Machine area near a police post, causing significant damage.
Security officials have reiterated their dedication to eliminating militancy from the region through sustained joint operations, emphasizing the protection of civilians and government property from anti-state elements.
