A Pakistani Army captain and at least 10 terrorists belonging to a banned terrorist organisation were dead in a gunfight in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Dera Ismail Khan district, according to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR). The military’s media wing stated that the intelligence-based operation (IBO) took place on Thursday after reports confirmed the presence of terrorists in the area. During the intense exchange of fire, Captain Hasnain Akhtar courageously led his troops from the front and made the ultimate sacrifice, the statement added.

"Hasnain was a brave officer and renowned for his courage and bold and daring actions during previous operations," as the statement read.

The military's public relations wing, or ISPR, reported that the terrorists who were killed were found with arms and ammunition. They had a history of attacking security forces and were also responsible for the targeted killings of ordinary citizens.

The statement further read, "A sanitisation operation is being conducted in the area, and the security forces are determined to wipe out the menace of terrorism from the country. Such sacrifices of brave young officers further strengthen our resolve."

Since the Taliban regained power in Afghanistan in 2021, the country has faced a rise in terrorist attacks, with law enforcement and security forces being the primary targets. The violence has been particularly severe in the border regions of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan. In January 2025, the country experienced a sharp increase in terror attacks, rising by 42% compared to the previous month, according to data from the Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies (PICSS), a think tank.

The data showed that at least 74 terrorist attacks took place across the country, leading to 91 deaths. Among the casualties were 35 security personnel, 20 civilians, and 36 terrorists. Additionally, 117 people were injured, including 53 security forces personnel, 54 civilians, and 10 terrorists. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was the worst-affected province, followed by Balochistan. In the settled districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, terrorists carried out 27 attacks, resulting in 19 deaths, including 11 security personnel, six civilians, and two terrorists. The tribal districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, formerly known as FATA, Federally Administrated Tribal Areas, experienced 19 attacks, leading to 46 fatalities. Among the dead were 13 security personnel, eight civilians, and 25 terrorists.