JAMMU: A Pakistan Army Captain was killed in Hangu district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa when he tried to enter a mosque where several Tehreek Taliban Pakistan (TTP) armed men had taken shelter. The Army’s raid on mosque, carried out on Frida, was based on an intelligence-based operation (IBO), according to Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the media wing of the armed forces.
In its statement, ISPR said the security forces conducted an IBO in Hangu on Friday following reports about the presence of terrorists belonging to Fitna al Khawarij. This is a term the state uses for terrorists belonging to the banned Tehreek Taliban Pakistan (TTP) which are waging a war against the Pakistan government for the imposition of Sharia (Islamic law) in the country, a report of Dawn newspaper said.
Radical Islamists of TTP draw inspiration from neighbouring Afghanistan where hardline Taliban took control five years ago. The TTP once fought shoulder to shoulder with the Afghan Taliban and were armed by the Pakistan security forces themselves. However, they have turned against the Pakistan government against whom they have been waging the war since November 2022 when they decided to end a temporary ceasefire they had declared earlier.
Pakistan Army enters mosque while chasing TTP men
The ISPR report said that during the operation, troops effectively engaged the TTP men. “In desperation, the khawarij took refuge inside a mosque, blatantly disregarding the sanctity of the place of worship. In ensuing fire exchange, seven seven khawarij belonging to Indian-sponsored Fitna al Khawarij were sent to hell,” it said.
The statement went on to say that during the attack on armed men hiding in the mosque, 27-year-old Captain Hamza Akram, died. He was a resident of Punjab’s Narowal district and “leading his troops from front and relentlessly pursuing” the armed TTP men when he was killed due to injuries sustained during the encounter.
“Weapons and ammunition were also recovered from the killed khawarij, who remained actively involved in numerous terrorist activities against the security forces and law enforcement agencies as well as killing of innocent civilians,” it said.
ISPR said that a sanitisation operation was being conducted to eliminate any other Indian-sponsored terrorists in the area.
Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari paid tribute to Captain Akram, saying, “The motherland pays its profound tribute to the great sacrifice of its brave son. The entire nation is indebted to the eternal sacrifices of these brave sons for the motherland.”
President Zardari, PM Sharif express condolences
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed deep grief over Captain Akram’s death while hailing his courage and devotion, state-run Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) reported.
In a statement issued by his office, PM Shehbaz lauded the security forces for eliminating seven terrorists “operating under the Indian patronage”.
“The nation will never forget the sacrifices of its brave sons,” the press release quoted him as saying. The PM reiterated that operations against Fitna al Khawarij would continue till complete elimination of terrorism.
“The sacrifices rendered by our brave armed forces and law-enforcement agencies for the defence, peace and security of the country and nation will not go in vain,” he asserted.
Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi also paid tribute to the martyred Captain and offered his condolences to the bereaved family. He said that the officer had paid the ultimate sacrifice for the homeland and would remain alive in our hearts.
A day earlier, ISPR said 10 armed rebels were killed in two separate engagements in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. It said that in the first encounter, a group of terrorists attempted to attack some check posts in Azam Warsak area in South Waziristan, which was effectively thwarted, resulting in the deaths of eight armed men.
“In another encounter that took place in Dir district, own troops successfully neutralised two more khawarij,” it added.
Senior commander of TTP Jamidullah killed
Separately, security forces killed a key terrorist commander, identified as Jamidullah, during an operation in Jani Khel area of KP’s Bannu district, a security official said. The official said that the commander was involved in violent activities and was considered a quadcopter expert.
The official said that security forces conducted the operation in Jani Khel on the basis of intelligence reports, during which Jamidullah was targeted and killed.
According to the Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies, an Islamabad-based think tank, violence linked to attacks by rebels and counter-terrorism operations intensified sharply in July. It has been the deadliest month of 2026 so far, with 112 security personnel among 205 people killed.
