In a statement on Saturday, the army’s media wing stated that security forces conducted an intelligence based operation in the above mentioned area on reported presence of terrorists.

The terrorist commander was identified as Rahzaib, alias Khuray. “The killed terrorists remained actively involved in numerous terrorist activities against security forces as well as extortion and target killings of innocent civilians,” the statement said and added that weapons and ammunition were also recovered from the site of operation.

Locals of the area appreciated the operation, it added. “The sanitisation operation is being carried out to eliminate any other terrorist found in the area as the security forces are determined to wipe out the menace of terrorism from the country.”

On Thursday, the military’s top brass resolved that “all terrorists, their facilitators and abettors, working on the behest of hostile forces to destablise Pakistan will be dealt with full might of the state.”

The Corps Commanders’ Conference reiterated the military’s resolve to “defend the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Pakistan against direct and indirect threats”.

“The sanctuaries and liberty of action available to the terrorists of proscribed TTP (Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan) and other groups of that ilk in a neighbouring country and availability of latest weapons to the terrorists were noted as serious points of concern impacting security of Pakistan,” the ISPR said.

At least 23 Pakistan Army soldiers were martyred and 27 terrorists were killed in three different gun battles on December 12.