8 terrorists killed in DI Khan operation: ISPR

• Militants were involved in targeting of security forces, civilians: ISPR.
• Sanitisation operation underway to find out any remaining terrorists.
• Security forces also recover weapons, ammunition and explosives.

RAWALPINDI: As Pakistan continues to battle the scourge of terrorism, security forces neutralised eight terrorists in an intelligence-base operation in Dera Ismail Khan, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said in a statement on Saturday.

As per the military's media wing, the operation was conducted on the reported presence of terrorists wherein the miscreants were eliminated after an "intense exchange of fire".

"The killed terrorists remained actively involved in numerous terrorist activities against the security forces and target killing of innocent civilians," the ISPR's statement said, adding that security forces also recovered weapons, ammunition and explosives from the militants.

Reiterating the security forces' resolve to eliminate the menace of terrorism, the statement also stated that a sanitisation operation was being carried out in the area to eliminate any other terrorists found in the vicinity.

Earlier this week, The News reported that as many as 22 alleged terrorists linked with different banned outfits were apprehended by the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) during operations in different areas of Punjab.

Before that, the department had also "arrested" more than 10 terrorists and facilitators involved in the suicide attack on Chinese engineers in Shangla's Bisham city which resulted in the death of five Chinese citizens and a Pakistani driver, Geo News had reported citing sources.

The incident prompted a strong reaction from the military which vowed to ensure all those involved in aiding terrorism, directly or indirectly, are held accountable and find their due comeuppance.

Security forces have been regularly carrying out anti-terror ops amid a significant surge in terrorist attacks across the country in recent months.