ISLAMABAD, Oct. 22 (Xinhua) -- Four police and Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) personnel were killed in an exchange of fire with militants during a joint search operation in Pakistan's northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province on Thursday, police sources said.
The operation was launched at around 1:30 p.m. local time (0830 GMT) in Karak district, the sources told Xinhua on condition of anonymity.
The deceased included a deputy superintendent of police with the CTD in Karak, who had participated in numerous operations against militants and was on the hit list of Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), the sources said.
"The exchange of fire is still underway, with further casualties among police and CTD personnel feared," the sources said, adding that casualties among the militants had not yet been confirmed. ■