Pakistani troops killed 12 militants of the proscribed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP*) group during a special operation conducted in the Lakki Marwat locality of the volatile Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, the Pakistan Armed Forces' media wing stated on Wednesday.
The "movement and activities of terrorists were being watched by intelligence operatives for the past week. Terrorists were lured in by providing a vehicle for escape that was intercepted and neutralized," a statement issued by Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) said.
The armed exchange between the Pakistani security forces and the militants on Tuesday night, occurred days after a mosque bombing killed more than 100 people, including several policemen.
Although the TTP has yet to take responsibility, Pakistani security agencies have suggested that the banned terrorist group is behind the attack.
The statement further stated that a combing operation is on at the site of the incident and the militants left behind a large cache of arms and Afghan currency before being killed in Pakistani gunfire.
Increased Terror Threat in Pakistan
Since the TTP, also known as the Pakistani Taliban, announced the end of its ceasefire with the federal government in Islamabad, there have been several attacks on the country's establishments.
The security forces, in particular, have faced a barrage of attacks, including a recent attack on a police station in Punjab - a first in the province since the TTP resumed its hostilities against the Pakistani state.
Reports from Islamabad have suggested that the TTP has also formalized its relationship with rebels in Balochistan province, heightening violent attacks on the country's security forces there.
According to a report from the Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies (PICSS), a total of 134 people in Pakistan have lost their life in terrorist incidents in January 2023, the worst figure since July 2018.
Pakistan experienced 44 terrorist attacks last month alone.
*a terrorist group outlawed in Russia and many other countries