An intelligence-based operation late last night neutralised eight militants of the Gandapur faction of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) after guided munitions were employed against a militant compound known as Khalifa Baithak in Kot Kandao, Kolachi, Dera Ismail Khan.
The IBO was initiated on credible intelligence indicating the presence of TTP regional head Commander Alam Mehsud inside the compound, along with Afghan Taliban militants believed to be facilitating cross-border activity. The location had remained under discreet surveillance due to its long-standing use as a key meeting and coordination point for the faction.
During the operation, guided munitions accurately struck the compound while the militants were assembled inside, resulting in the elimination of eight members of the Gandapur faction. The action is assessed as a major setback to the faction’s operational network in the Kolachi–Kot Kandao corridor, an area frequently utilised for planning, transit, and recruitment.
Khalifa Baithak has long functioned as an important node in the group’s local structure, providing sanctuary, logistical support, and a platform for internal coordination. With the compound neutralised, post-operation verification is underway to determine the status of high-value individuals and assess any remaining militant activity in adjacent areas.
The development significantly diminishes TTP’s regional footprint and forms part of ongoing efforts to disrupt its command and control capabilities across southern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Follow-up surveillance and area-domination measures continue to ensure stability and prevent attempts at regrouping by the faction or its affiliates.
