Khyber Pakhtunkhwa: Twenty-three Pakistani army soldiers were killed in a suicide bombing attack in Dera Ismail Khan's Daraban area, where a group of terrorists targeted a security forces' checkpost, Dawn reported on Tuesday.

Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the military's media affairs wing, said that six terrorists launched an attack in the early hours of December 12.

The security forces effectively thwarted the attempt by the terrorists to enter the post, prompting the assailants to resort to a devastating tactic, they rammed an explosive-laden vehicle into the checkpost, followed by a suicide bombing attack, resulting in the loss of lives and a severe impact on the security situation in the region, as reported by Dawn.

"The resulting blasts led to the collapse of the building, causing multiple causalities; 23 brave soldiers embraced shahadat, while all six terrorists were effectively engaged and sent to hell," the ISPR said.

It added that sanitisation operations were being conducted to eliminate any other terrorists present in the area. "Security forces of Pakistan are determined to wipe out the menace of terrorism from the country and such sacrifices of our brave soldiers further strengthens our resolve," the ISPR said.

In a separate operation, a total of 17 terrorists were neutralised during an intelligence-based mission conducted in the Darazinda area of Dera Ismail Khan on the nights of December 11 and December 12.

"During the conduct of the operation, terrorists' hideouts were busted and 17 terrorists were sent to hell," the military's media affairs wing said.

The ISPR further stated that two soldiers embraced martyrdom while four more terrorists were neutralised in another IBO in the Kulachi area.

"[?]The killed terrorists were actively involved in numerous terrorist activities against security forces as well as killing of innocent civilians. Weapons, ammunition and explosives were also recovered during the operations," it added, according to Dawn.

In recent months, Pakistan has witnessed a surge in terrorist activities, particularly in KP and Balochistan, following the termination of the ceasefire between the government and the TTP in November of the previous year.

On November 3, a bomb blast targeted police personnel in DI Khan, resulting in the tragic loss of five lives and injuries to over 20 individuals.

On October 31, militants attacked a police camp in Dera Ismail Khan, leading to the martyrdom of a policeman. On the same day, two soldiers lost their lives in an IED blast in the South Waziristan district.

According to data released by the Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies, there was a 34 per cent increase in anti-state violence in the country last month. KP emerged as the most affected province, with 51 documented attacks causing 54 fatalities and 81 injuries, Dawn reported.