Latest News BANNU | July 17
It started late. Everything was still, the kind of quiet that makes you listen harder. Bannu slept, unaware. Then, noise. Sudden. Sharp. Gunfire tore through the silence. Within minutes, it was clear this wasn’t random. The Counter Terrorism Department had launched a targeted operation, acting on intelligence about suspected militant presence in the Surani area. Three men were killed in the exchange of fire during the Bannu CTD Operation. The raid, swift and coordinated, marked another chapter in the ongoing crackdown against extremist elements believed to be regrouping across southern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Unusual Movement Reported in Surani Prior To Raid.
Locals near Surani Police Station had noticed something unusual earlier that evening. Not many people around. A few unfamiliar faces. But nothing concrete. Nothing you’d call in for. What they didn’t know: the CTD had been watching. Waiting. A tip had come in. The kind of tip that doesn’t sit, it moves.
CTD Operation Turns Violent as Suspects Open Fire
Sources say the operation began just before midnight. Officers came on foot. No headlights. No sirens. They moved in quietly. But the suspects didn’t plan to go quietly. Hots were fired as the team approached the hideout. Officers returned fire, quickly. The shootout was short. Loud, but short.
When it ended, three men were down. The CTD team completed the mission without any injuries.
Automatic Weapons and Explosives Seized from Hideout     Â
Authorities recovered a cache of weapons, rifles, grenades, and materials for explosives, from within the compound. Not random tools, items meant for a specific kind of work. The kind that leaves damage.
“They were preparing for something,” said a source close to the investigation. “It wasn’t just a safe house.”
CTD Investigates Links to Banned Militant Outfit
Authorities are still identifying the suspects. Early checks suggest they had ties to a banned militant outfit. Possibly one that’s been active in southern KP. Possibly more. Documents, mobile phones, and digital devices were recovered. Forensic teams are now sifting through them.
Residents Express Fear Following Overnight Encounter
By early morning, word had spread. Streets were still half-empty, but small groups gathered, whispering. “We heard the firing around midnight. It was scary. But this isn’t the first time,” said Rehman Ali, a shopkeeper nearby.
Bannu has seen this before. Not as often as Waziristan or Tank, but enough.
A Quiet Operation. A Loud Warning.
Security officials aren’t saying much, not yet. But after the Bannu CTD operation, some insiders suggest the raid may have disrupted something bigger. Maybe days away. Maybe just hours. What’s clear is this: it sent a message. The state is still watching. Still listening. Still ready to strike. As one officer put it, “We don’t announce our presence. We just arrive.”
