Overview
- Security forces conducted an intelligence-based operation in Lakki Marwat on the night of February 18–19, engaging militants in an intense firefight.
- Weapons and ammunition were recovered at the site, with officials saying the slain men were involved in multiple attacks in the area.
- The military attributed the suspects to Fitna al-Khawarij, a label it applies to militants linked to the banned TTP and described as India-sponsored by official statements.
- Authorities said sanitisation and clearance operations are continuing in the vicinity to remove any remaining threats.
- Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi publicly praised the forces, as coverage placed the raid within a broader post-2021 uptick in cross-border militancy affecting KP and Balochistan.