14 killed as army convoy and militants clash in Hangu district, Pakistan

Six Pakistani security personnel, including two army officers, and eight militants were killed in an exchange of fire involving a security forces convoy in Hangu district, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, on Sunday, September 20, 2026.

According to a statement from the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the military’s media wing, the clash occurred when a security forces convoy engaged militants in the district. Troops killed eight militants described by ISPR as “Khwarij belonging to Indian-sponsored Fitna-al-Khwarij” (the official term used for the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan, or TTP).

During the intense firefight, six security personnel lost their lives. The two officers who died were identified as Captain Abuzar Farooq, 23, a resident of Gujranwala district, and Lieutenant Sheraz Babar, 22, from Chakwal district. ISPR said the officers “were leading their troops from the front, fought gallantly and paid the ultimate sacrifice and embraced shahadat along with their four men.” Some reports named the other personnel as Sepoy Shakeel Ahmed, non-combatant Ghulam Sajjad, Sepoy Hamza, and Sepoy Muhammad Usman Aziz.

ISPR stated that sanitization operations were underway in the surrounding areas to clear any remaining militants and ensure the security of local residents and vital national highways. It reaffirmed that the counterterrorism campaign under the government-approved “Azm-e-Istehkam” framework would continue with full resolve.

The incident adds to a series of engagements in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. ISPR noted that it followed the killing of 10 militants in multiple operations in the province between September 15 and 17, in which six soldiers were also reported martyred. Hangu and neighboring areas have seen recurring militant activity linked to groups operating near the Afghan border.

Pakistani officials, including President Asif Ali Zardari, expressed grief over the losses and paid tribute to the fallen personnel while noting the neutralization of the militants. No independent confirmation of casualty figures beyond the ISPR account was immediately available, and further details on the exact circumstances of the engagement remain limited pending ongoing operations.