PESHAWAR, Pakistan - According to the Inter-Service Public Relations (ISPR), at least 12 militants were killed Tuesday night during an intelligence-based operation (IBO) carried out by security forces in Lakki Marwat.

The ISPR said in a statement that 'the terrorists' were members of the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).

According to an earlier statement, the militants killed six police officers in an attack in December 2022. They also stated that the armed men were on their way to Tank to carry out an attack.

According to the ISPR, the militants possessions included weapons, ammunition, and Afghan currency. The process of identifying them has begun, according to police officials.

"Intelligence tentacles have been monitoring terrorists' movements and activities for the past week," said an ISPR statement. Militants were enticed by offering an escape vehicle, which was intercepted and neutralized, according to the report.

Later, a clearing operation was conducted in the area.

For more than a year, Lakki has seen an unprecedented increase in what it describes as terrorist attacks.

After the outlawed TTP broke its ceasefire with Islamabad in November, the country is facing an increase in the insurgency, particularly in Balochistan and KP.

Pakistan has suffered over 87,000 casualties since the start of the war on terror. Innocent civilians, armed forces, police, and other civil armed forces personnel were among those killed.

The security forces are conducting back-to-back operations to eliminate militants; however, 'terrorist attacks' have increased in the last five months, killing dozens of citizens.

According to reports, the TTP regrouped in Afghanistan following the Taliban's takeover, with Pakistan repeatedly requesting that the government in its neighboring country ensure that its soil is not used for terrorism. However, the Taliban-led government has fallen short of expectations.