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Major Adeel Zaman, a Pakistani army officer killed during a counterterrorism operation in Bajaur District on Dec. 29, 2025, is seen in this undated handout photo released by the military.
ISPR
Operation targeted fighters in Khar, near Afghan border
Weapons and ammunition recovered from the site
Pakistani troops killed five militants in a volatile tribal district near the Afghan border on Monday, though an army major also died in the firefight, the military said.
The intelligence-based operation targeted fighters in Khar, a main town of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province's Bajaur district, according to a statement from the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the military's media wing.
Major Adeel Zaman, 36, from Dera Ismail Khan, was killed while leading the assault, the statement said. The military described him as having "fought gallantly" before making "the ultimate sacrifice."
The slain militants were affiliated with Fitna al Khwarij — the name Pakistan's military uses for the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), which has waged a years long insurgency against the state. Islamabad accuses Afghanistan of backing the group, a charge Kabul denies.
Troops recovered weapons and ammunition from the site. The military said the militants had been involved in attacks on security forces and civilians.
Clearance operations continue in the area, the statement added.
The operation falls under Azm-e-Istehkam, a nationwide counterterrorism campaign launched last year following a surge in militant attacks, particularly in the northwestern regions bordering Afghanistan.
Army chief attends funeral
Field Marshal Asim Munir, Pakistan's army chief, attended the funeral of Major Zaman at Peshawar Garrison on Monday, alongside Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi and other senior military and civilian officials.
Munir paid tribute to the slain officer, saying the sacrifices of fallen soldiers "will forever be remembered," according to ISPR.
Military and civilian officials offer funeral prayers for Major Adeel Zaman at Peshawar Garrison on Monday, Dec. 29, 2025. The army officer was killed during a counterterrorism operation in Bajaur District earlier in the day.ISPR
The major will be buried with full military honors in his hometown of Dera Ismail Khan.
The army chief also visited the Combined Military Hospital in Peshawar to meet soldiers wounded in the operation.
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