PESHAWAR: A cop was martyred and two others were injured on Thursday during an exchange of fire between terrorists and the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) on the outskirts of the provincial capital, a senior CTD official said.

According to the senior official, CTD had received information about the presence of terrorists in the Garhi Sherdad area near Warsak Road, following which the authorities planned an operation against them.

“The moment the CTD team reached the area, the terrorists opened fire at the raiding party,” the official said.

“A cop embraced martyrdom while two others were injured,” he confirmed, adding that one terrorist had also been gunned down.

The official further said that an exchange of fire was underway as of Thursday afternoon, with other law enforcement agencies (LEAs) also on the spot and the area cordoned off.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has witnessed an increase in terrorist activity in recent months, with LEAs and security forces being targeted, prompting authorities to intensify counterterrorism operations.

Earlier this month, five terrorists were killed in an exchange of fire with CTD of police in Shamshatoo area on the border between Peshawar and Nowshera districts.

Among them was a key commander of the banned ISKP, identified as Imran alias Abdullah alias Bilal alias Abu Bakar, police said.

It added that Imran was a proclaimed offender wanted by CTD as he was involved in a total of 20 cases of bomb blasts, targeted killings of police personnel and political leaders, and other acts of terrorism in Islamabad and other parts of the country.

A week before that, four terrorists, including a militant commander and an Afghan national, were killed in an encounter with CTD in Peshawar’s Badhber area.

A statement issued by CTD said that earlier, militant commander Tahir alias Muawiya, a resident of Shakas in Khyber tribal district, along with his other associates, was seen roaming the area to challenge the writ of the government.