Islamabad, 16 April (H.S.):

Security forces in Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province are locked in an intense gunbattle with militants, leaving two terrorists dead and at least one police officer martyred, while several others have been wounded.

The operation, launched late at night in the Baghoto Top Serki and Chambar Gul areas, marks the latest chapter in Pakistan’s ongoing counter‑terrorism campaign in its volatile northwestern belt.

According to local police reports, security teams cordoned off the two mountainous zones late Wednesday and launched a major raid against a group of suspected terrorists. A senior police officer in Kohat confirmed that the operation has been underway for several hours and will continue until every trapped militant is neutralised.

“The operation is now in a decisive phase,” the Kohat Superintendent of Police told reporters, underscoring that no terrorist would be allowed to escape the encircled area.

Officials say two militants were killed in the initial exchange of fire, while at least one police officer lost his life in the operation. Several other police personnel sustained injuries but are reported to be stable. The high‑alert security environment in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has prompted authorities to intensify search and clearance operations across the region, as part of a broader drive to disrupt militant networks and prevent further attacks on civilian and security targets.

Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar