Bannu Operation: 14 Facilitators Arrested, Hideouts Destroyed

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Fourteen alleged facilitators of terrorists were arrested, and three hideouts were destroyed during a joint security operation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Bannu district on Friday, according to police officials.

The targeted search operation was launched in response to a recent wave of terrorist and quadcopter attacks in the Hoveed and Wazirabad areas. Police spokesperson Khanzala Quraishi stated that the Pakistan Army and police conducted the operation based on intelligence reports, leading to the arrest of 14 individuals linked to a banned organisation. Three suspected terrorist hideouts were demolished during the mission.

Authorities said the operation took place in Wazirabad and Tudonar, along the Tuchi River, where five identified locations were cleared. Security forces seized three vehicles, including two motorcycles and a rickshaw, allegedly used in facilitating militant activities. Joint patrols were also carried out in and around Hoveed Bazaar to ensure continued security presence.

The operation began at 5am under the instructions of Regional Police Officer Sajjad Khan and was supervised by District Police Officer Saleem Abbasi Kalachi. Quraishi emphasised that the goal was to eliminate terrorist threats from the region and restore lasting peace.

A curfew was imposed in affected areas for public safety, and residents were urged to remain indoors and cooperate with security agencies. Citizens were also advised to immediately report any suspicious persons or activities to authorities. Officials warned that providing assistance to terrorists constitutes a serious crime and would result in strict legal action.

Bannu and several other districts in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa including Peshawar, Karak, Lakki Marwat, and Bajaur — have experienced repeated militant attacks in recent months. Last week, a police constable was martyred in an attack on a checkpoint in Bannu, in which three militants were killed and three policemen injured.

In July, a police station in Miryan, Bannu, came under attack by terrorists using a quadcopter, marking the fifth such incident targeting the installation within a month. These incidents have heightened security concerns and prompted intensified operations across the province to counter militant activity.

Security officials reaffirmed their commitment to protecting the region and dismantling militant networks through coordinated efforts between police and military forces.