What happened
Pakistan’s security forces killed 24 militants in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Bannu district and adjoining areas over the past 24 hours, the military’s media wing said on Friday, 17 July 2026, describing them as members of the “Fitna-al-khawarij”.
The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said the operations followed a recent surge in attacks on police and a vehicle-borne suicide bombing in Bannu, and that the slain militants belonged to what it called an Indian proxy. “In the last 24 hours, following fierce fire exchanges in Bannu district and adjoining areas, 24 khawarij belonging to Indian proxy Fitna-al-khawarij have been sent to hell,” the statement said, according to Dawn. Weapons and ammunition were recovered, the ISPR said, adding that operations would continue under the counter-terrorism campaign “Azm-i-Istehkam”.
CTD operation in Gulbahar
Separately, the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) and local police killed five militants in a joint intelligence-based operation in the Gulbahar area of Bannu, within the limits of Hawed police station, a CTD statement said.
The statement said the militants opened indiscriminate fire on the CTD’s Special Weapons and Tactics team and local police personnel, who retaliated. The exchange lasted about 40 minutes before a search and clearance operation was launched, during which five militants were killed and several others were arrested. Five Kalashnikovs, 10 magazines, five bandoliers, two hand grenades and a large quantity of ammunition were seized, and a search continued for a suspect who had fled.
The Miryan police station attack
The operations followed an attack late on Wednesday night, 15 July, when assailants tried to ram a vehicle packed with explosives into Miryan police station in Bannu, triggering a powerful blast and a prolonged exchange of fire. Police official Noor Jamal Khan, who was critically injured, died of his wounds, Bannu police said. The News reported that 10 other people were injured, including three police personnel, three Pakistan Army soldiers and four civilians, while several attackers were killed or wounded in the retaliatory operation. The banned Ittehad-ul-Mujahideen claimed responsibility for the attack, according to the newspaper.
Reaction
President Asif Ali Zardari lauded the security forces, saying the killing of 24 militants of “Fitna-al-Khawarij” showed their “professional expertise, resolve and sacrifices”, a statement from the Presidency said. Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi also commended the operations, describing intelligence-based operations as “indispensable” for peace and stability.
Why it matters
Bannu district has been the scene of repeated security incidents in recent months, with both civilians and local security forces coming under attack. The 17 July operations were the largest single-day toll the military has reported in the district in recent weeks, and they followed a suicide attack that killed a police officer and injured soldiers and civilians. The ISPR tied the campaign to the “Azm-i-Istehkam” counter-terrorism drive approved by the federal Apex Committee.
What is still uncertain
No independently verified account of the Bannu operations was available, and the ISPR did not release the names of those killed. The identity of those arrested in the CTD operation and the outcome of the search for suspects had not been disclosed.
Sources & reporting notes
This is a summary of published reporting, not independent reporting. Details are as carried by the cited sources, which were reviewed on 2026-07-18.
- Dawn — "Security forces kill 24 terrorists in KP's Bannu, adjoining areas: ISPR"17 July 2026 · The ISPR statement, the 24-killed figure, the CTD operation in Gulbahar, and President Zardari's and Interior Minister Naqvi's reactions.
- The News — "Cop martyred, 10 injured in Bannu police station blast"17 July 2026 · The Miryan police station bombing, the officer killed, the injury count and the search operation.
- Centreline — "At least 24 India-backed terrorists gunned down in Bannu operations: ISPR"17 July 2026 · The text of the ISPR statement and the recovery of weapons and ammunition.
