PESHAWAR: Nine suspected militants and four security officials were killed in a gunfire in Pakistan’s restive Khyber Pakhtunkhwa region, district officials said.

The incident took place late Thursday night in Bajaur district. According to officials, a group of militants launched attacks in the areas of Meena and Inayat Kalay, but security forces “responded effectively”. While nine attackers - all of them suspected militants - were killed on the post, several others sustained injuries.

The area was later cordoned off and a search operation was launched to track the remaining militants.

Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) has claimed responsibility for the attack.

The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa region in northwest Pakistan has faced recurring unrest over the years driven by militant violence, cross-border movement of fighters from Afghanistan and repeated military operations. Its mountainous terrain and porous frontier add to the challenges for security forces.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has seen a surge in terrorist attacks in the past year. According to the Annual Security Report 2025 from the Centre for Research and Security Studies, total fatalities rose from 1,620 in 2024 to 2,331 in 2025.