Brief by Shorts91 Newsdesk / 11:04am on 21 Feb 2026,Saturday International
In Bannu District of Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, a suicide attack during an intelligence-based military operation left two Pakistani soldiers dead and five militants killed, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said on Saturday. The casualties included Lt Col Shahzada Gul Faraz and Sepoy Karamat Shah, who were killed after their security convoy was targeted by militants called Fitna al-Khwarij, a term used by authorities for alleged Indian-backed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan fighters. Troops intercepted a vehicle-borne suicide bomber, averting a larger civilian tragedy, but militants rammed an explosive-laden vehicle into the lead convoy, triggering intense combat. The clash highlights ongoing security challenges in northwest Pakistan’s militant-affected regions. (PC: Dawn)
