Six Militants Killed, Two Soldiers Martyred in DI Khan Operation

Six alleged militants were killed and two Pakistan Army soldiers lost their lives during an intelligence-based operation in Dera Ismail Khan district, the military’s media wing said on Sunday. The operation was conducted a day earlier in the general area of Zarkani following information about the presence of armed militants.

According to the official statement, security personnel engaged the suspected militants during the operation and killed six of them. Authorities identified the group as belonging to the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan, for which the state uses the designation Fitna-al-Khawarij.

The two soldiers who died during the exchange of fire were identified as 36-year-old Naik Ghulam Murtaza from Gujrat district and 30-year-old Sepoy Taseer Ahmed from Talagang district. The military paid tribute to both men and said their deaths reinforced the security forces’ commitment to protecting the country.

Weapons and ammunition were recovered from the deceased militants, according to the statement. Authorities alleged that those killed had participated in attacks against security forces and law-enforcement agencies as well as violence targeting civilians.

A sanitisation operation was continuing in the area to locate any other militants who might remain nearby. The military said counterterrorism operations under the Azm-i-Istehkam framework would continue against militant groups and the networks accused of supporting them.

Dera Ismail Khan has remained a major focus of counterterrorism operations because of recurring militant activity in southern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Earlier in October, security forces reported killing eight militants during another intelligence-led operation in the district.

Security-monitoring figures indicate that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, excluding the merged tribal districts, recorded 54 militant attacks in August, compared with 36 during July. The increase of 50 per cent reflects the continuing pressure on security personnel and communities in districts affected by insurgent activity.

A separate security assessment recorded an 83pc increase in violence-related fatalities across Pakistan during the third quarter of 2026 after declines during the first two quarters. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan together accounted for 98pc of the fatalities recorded during that period.

The recovery of weapons and the continuing search operation may provide authorities with further information about the group’s local presence. Additional official disclosures will be needed to establish the identities of those killed, their alleged roles and whether the operation disrupted a wider militant network operating in the region.