Kohat Police Lines Attack Mastermind Killed, 10 Militants Die in KP Operations

The Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) and security forces conducted a joint operation in Lakki Marwat district on Friday, killing Zahid Gul, a senior commander linked to the Gul Bahadur group, the CTD said.

According to the department, Gul was the mastermind behind a suicide attack on the old Kohat Police Lines and personally guided an explosives-laden vehicle used in the bombing.

Kohat Police Lines Attack Mastermind Killed

CTD officials said Zahid Gul was wanted in connection with several serious acts of terrorism and maintained close links with the Gul Bahadur group.

He was also allegedly involved in a bank robbery in Bili Tang, during which Rs6 million was stolen. According to the CTD, the money was subsequently distributed among militant groups operating in Bakkakhel and Jani Khel in Bannu.

The department further alleged that Gul was involved in transporting several suicide bombers to Kohat.

Officials said he had brought a suicide bomber for an attack on the new Kohat Police Lines around two months ago, but the planned attack was foiled.

According to the CTD, Gul's intended targets also included Pakistan Air Force installations and a police training school in Kohat. The department added that other members of his group were already in the custody of security agencies.

10 Militants Killed Near Orakzai Khyber Border

In a separate operation, police and the Frontier Constabulary (FC) conducted an operation against militants in an area bordering Orakzai and Khyber districts.

Sources said 10 militants were killed during the operation.

Police took custody of the bodies of two militants and shifted them to a headquarters hospital, while the remaining eight bodies were taken away by their associates, according to the sources.

Further operations against militants are underway in the area, but additional details about the action have not yet been reported.

The two operations come amid continued counterterrorism efforts in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, where security forces and police have been conducting intelligence-based actions against militant networks.