At least seven security personnel were killed and ten wounded in a heavy gun battle with terrorists in the Serband area of Lower Dir district, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, officials confirmed today. The clash erupted during a joint search and strike operation conducted by police and the 184 Wing Dir Scouts.

According to police sources, the operation was launched following reports of terrorist activity and suspicious movements in the Serband plains. During the operation, intense firefights ensued. Media reports indicate that ten terrorists were killed in the exchange of fire.

Local sources identified the seven slain security personnel as Naik Jalil Khan, Lance Naik Azmat, Sepoy Fazal Malik, Sepoy Dawood, Sepoy Amjad, Sepoy Fazal Qayyum, and Naik Gul Jan. Thirteen personnel sustained injuries, and several others remain missing, prompting ongoing search operations. The injured include Subedar Khan Badshah, Havaldar Inaam Ullah, Havaldar Shahzeb, Sepoy Zulfiqar Ali, Sepoy Atta ur Rehman, Sepoy Abdul Haleem, Sepoy Muhammad Rehan, Sepoy Rahat Ullah, Sepoy Manzoor, Sepoy Saleem, and Sepoy Shahzeb, among others. Reports regarding the number of missing personnel remain conflicting.

Police officials stated that a large contingent of police, elite forces, and Dir Scouts remained in the area, and operations continue.

In a separate operation in the Jhok Mangal area of Dera Ismail Khan district, security forces killed one terrorist in an exchange of fire following a tip-off. Security sources reported that other terrorists escaped, and security forces have launched a search operation after cordoning off the area.