At least 12 terrorists were killed Tuesday night during an intelligence-based operation (IBO) carried out by security forces in Lakki Marwat, the Inter-Service Public Relations (ISPR) stated.

In a statement, the ISPR said the terrorists belonged to the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). 

In an earlier statement, the police said the terrorists had killed six policemen in an attack in December 2022. They added that the armed men were headed to Tank to carry out an attack.

According to the ISPR, weapons, ammunition and Afghan currency was recovered from the terrorists' possession. The process of identifying the terrorists is underway, police officials stated.

"Terrorists’ movement and activities were being watched by intelligence tentacles for the last one week," the ISPR statement read. Terrorists were lured in by providing a vehicle for escape that was intercepted and neutralised, it added.

Security forces are carrying out a clearance operation in the area, the military's media wing said.

Lakki has witnessed an unprecedented increase in terrorist attacks for over a year.

Two gunned down in North Waziristan

In a similar operation on Friday, two terrorists were gunned down by security forces in an exchange fire in the general area Esham of North Waziristan, the ISPR had said.

In a statement, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said that weapons and ammunition were also recovered from the killed terrorists. It added that the militants were actively involved in terrorist activities against security forces. “The incident re-vindicates Pakistan Army’s resolve to have zero tolerance for terrorism in Pakistan and reaffirms its determination to take on all entities that resort to violence,” said the ISPR.

Last week, in the same district, a terrorist was gunned down during an intelligence-based operation (IBO) in North Waziristan.

The operation was conducted in North Waziristan’s Mir Ali area, according to ISPR. When the security forces approached the terrorists, they retaliated.

In response, an intense fire exchange took place between the troops and terrorists. After killing the armed assailants, the forces also recovered weapons and ammunition.

"The killed terrorists remained actively involved in terrorist activities against security forces and [the] killing of innocent citizens," the military's media wing added.