Three terrorists were killed and several apprehended in three separate intelligence-based operations (IBOs) by security forces in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Monday, the military’s media affairs wing said.

According to a statement issued by the Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR), security forces conducted two separate IBOs in Tank and Dera Ismail Khan on the reported presence of terrorists in these areas.

The ISPR said three terrorists, including militant commander Jabbar Shah alias Shah Alam, were “sent to hell” following an intense exchange of fire during the operations while two others were injured.

“The sanitisation of surrounding areas is being carried out to eliminate any other terrorists found in the area,” the statement said, adding that the security forces of Pakistan were determined to eliminate the menace of terrorism.

In a separate statement, the ISPR said that seven terrorists were apprehended during an IBO in North Waziristan’s Miran Shah area.

The IBO was conducted based on the reported presence of terrorists in the area, the ISPR said, adding that proscribed Hafiz Gul Bahadur group terrorist commander Mehtab alias Lala was also among those arrested.

“The apprehended terrorists have been involved in numerous terrorist activities, especially target killings against security forces as well as innocent citizens, and were highly wanted by the security agencies.

“Locals of the area appreciated security forces’ operation and assured of their support in eliminating the menace of terrorism,” the ISPR said.

Earlier this month, a “hardcore militant” and founder of the banned militant group Baloch National Army (BNA) was captured, according to the ISPR, who described the detainee as a “high-value target” with suspected links to hostile intelligence agencies operating against Pakistan.

“Gulzar Imam alias Shambay was apprehended after an innovatively conceived, carefully planned and meticulously executed operation, spanned over months over various geographical locations,” the military’s media wing had said.

Over the past few months, the law and order situation in the country has worsened, with terrorist groups executing attacks with near impunity across the country.

In his maiden press briefing last week, ISPR Director General Maj Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry had revealed that at least 293 people were martyred and 521 were injured in 436 terrorist incidents over the past year.

In KP, 192 people were martyred in 219 terror activities, while 80 people lost lives in 206 incidents in Balochistan, 14 people in five attacks in Punjab, and seven in six terrorism incidents across Sindh.

He had said that the army and law enforcement agencies carried out 8,269 intelligence-based operations during the previous year in which 1,378 suspected terrorists were apprehended and 157 were killed.

The DG ISPR had also said that overall 137 security personnel were martyred and 117 injured in anti-terror operations in the ongoing year.