Security forces gunned down five terrorists in intelligence-based operations in northwest Pakistan, police said on Sunday (May 17, 2026).

The operations were conducted late on Saturday (May 16, 2026) in the Bannu district of restive Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, according to police.

The Regional Police Officer (RPO) Sajjad Khan said that the operations were launched following a recent attack on a police checkpost in Fateh Khel area in the district.

At least 15 security officials were killed and several were injured in the attack at the police post on May 10. However, no particular group claimed responsibility for it.

The terrorists killed were allegedly involved in attacks on security forces, the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) and civilians, RPO Khan said.

Federal Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi praised the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Police for eliminating the terrorists in Bannu.

Pakistan continues to reel under terrorism, with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa being the worst-hit province, according to a 2025 report by Islamabad-based Centre for Research and Security Studies.

Five terrorists were killed in operations conducted by security forces in Pakistan’s restive Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, the army said on Saturday (May 9, 2026).

Based on intelligence reports, the security forces initiated two separate operations in the Tank and Dera Ismail Khan districts on May 7 and 8, it said in a statement.

Four terrorists belonging to the banned Teh­reek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) were killed in the military engagement in the Tank district, the statement said.

In Dera Ismail Khan, another TTP member was killed in an exchange of fire with the security forces.

Weapons and ammunition have also been recovered from the possession of the slain terrorists, the statement said.

Pakistan has witnessed a surge in terrorist attacks, especially in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan provinces, predominantly targeting the police, law enforcement agencies’ personnel, and security forces.

Attacks increased after the banned TTP broke a ceasefire agreement with the government in 2022.