HANGU: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) has killed at least four suspected terrorists in an operation in Hangu district, a spokesman said on Tuesday.
The dead militants were members of the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).
The operation was carried out in the Jahazo Maidan area in Thall tehsil of Hangu.
Security officials had received reports of the presence of terrorists in the area, and an intelligence-based operation was launched, according to the spokesman.
The suspected terrorists opened fire as the police approached their hideout, the spokesman said.
The security personnel returned the fire killing four suspected terrorists, whose identities were later ascertained as Mustafa Khan, Ahmed Rahim, Sameem Saeed, and Mustafa Khan.
The dead terrorists belonged to the Ameer Hatim Group of the banned TTP. They were wanted
for several acts of terrorism, targeted killing, and extortion.
The bodies of the terrorists were shifted to Thall Hospital for necessary operations. Afterwards, the bodies were handed over to the next of kin.
Security forces were still conducting a search operation in the area.
Two of the dead terrorists were involved in targetting and killing several policemen protecting polio vaccination teams.
The CTD has recovered four SMGs, 16 chargers, and ammunition from the hideout.
Hangu and other KP districts have seen an uptick in militant attacks since the Afghan Taliban takeover of Kabul in August.
In October, a soldier was martyred in a terrorist attack on a military post in Thall.
Also in October, security forces killed a terrorist during an operation in North Waziristan.
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