The Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) Khyber Pakhtunkhwa thwarted a major terrorist attack in Peshawar, eliminating a suicide bomber and his handler during a high-stakes intelligence-based operation (IBO) in the Shamshato area of rural Peshawar.
According to a CTD spokesperson, the operation was carried out following credible intelligence regarding an imminent large-scale terrorist attack targeting a sensitive installation in the provincial capital. The threat was linked to operatives of the proscribed international militant outfit Fitna Al-Khawarij (FAK), affiliated with the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).
The spokesperson said the suicide bomber, identified as Muneer Ahmed, son of Muhammad Gul and a resident of Nangarhar, Afghanistan, had infiltrated Pakistan from Khost in November 2024 with the explicit aim of executing a high-impact terrorist strike in Peshawar. He had been under surveillance since then.
“Acting on precise intelligence, the CTD Peshawar team launched a targeted operation in the Shamshato locality of Urmarh. During an intense exchange of fire, two militants were killed. Fortunately, no casualties were reported among the security personnel,” the CTD said.
Muneer Ahmed was a proclaimed offender and was nominated as a suicide attacker in FIR No. 161, dated November 23, 2024, under multiple sections of the Anti-Terrorism Act, including 120B, 11F(2), 11F(5)(6), 11OOO, 7ATA, and 21C, registered at the CTD Police Station Peshawar.
The identity of the second terrorist, believed to be the handler of the suicide bomber, is being verified.
Security forces recovered a cache of weapons and explosives from the slain militants, including:
One submachine gun (SMG) with ammunition
One pistol with rounds
One fully primed suicide jacket
A case is being registered at the CTD Police Station Peshawar, while a specialized investigation team has been constituted to probe the network behind the foiled attack and to dismantle any remaining operatives.
The CTD Khyber Pakhtunkhwa reiterated its resolve to continue proactive operations to safeguard public safety and disrupt the designs of hostile elements seeking to undermine peace and stability in the province.
