At least three officials of the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) were martyred and two others injured during an exchange of fire with militants in the Spina Tangi area of Bannu district, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, officials said on Thursday.
According to a CTD spokesperson, the incident took place during an intelligence-based operation when personnel came under heavy fire from terrorists hiding in the area.
The firefight resulted in the martyrdom of Assistant Sub-Inspector Benjamin and Constables Inam and Musawar. Two other CTD personnel, Wafid Khan and Imran, sustained injuries and were shifted to a nearby medical facility for treatment.
The spokesperson further stated that two militants were killed in the encounter, while others managed to escape, taking their injured accomplices with them. Security forces recovered a cache of weapons, including assault rifles, improvised explosive devices (IEDs), hand grenades, and ammunition from the site.
Following the clash, police and security forces cordoned off the area and launched a comprehensive search operation to trace the fleeing militants.
DIG CTD, while speaking to media, condemned the loss of lives and vowed to bring the perpetrators to justice. “We will not let the sacrifices of our brave officers go in vain. The CTD will avenge the blood of our martyrs and deal with terrorists with an iron hand,” he said.
