A militant ringleader, associated with the Islamic State, was killed by Pakistani security forces during an intelligence-based operation in the restive Khyber district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, the military said on Sunday.

The security forces conducted an operation after getting information on the reported presence of a “high-profile terrorist” in the area, according to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the media wing of the Pakistan Army.

After an intense exchange of fire, the “high-value terrorist ringleader” Surat Gul, alias Saifullah, of Daesh (Islamic State) was eliminated, the military said in a statement.

Weapons, ammunition and explosives were also recovered from the “terrorist commander”, who remained actively involved in numerous terrorist activities, including “targeted killing of innocent civilians as well as extortion”, and was wanted by the law enforcement agencies, the ISPR said.

“Sanitisation operation is being conducted to eliminate any other terrorist found in the area. The locals appreciated the operation and expressed their full support to eliminate the menace of terrorism,” it said.

Ahead of the general elections in Pakistan, which were held on February 8, there was a surge in attacks targeting contesting candidates and offices of the election commission in Sindh and Balochistan provinces. At least 12 people were killed and several others injured in a powerful bomb blast outside the election office of an independent candidate in Pakistan’s Balochistan province, a day before the general elections.