PESHAWAR: Security forces have killed 22 terrorists and injured 18 others in various intelligencebased operations (IBOs) across the Tirah Valley in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa`s Khyber district since Dec 14, Dawn.com reported.

A statement issued from the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said: `Of late, numerous terrorist incidents have occurred in general area Tirah, Khyber district against security forces as well as the innocent civilians, resulting in several casualties.

Subsequently, the ISPR said security forces were conducting extensiveIBOs in the area against terrorists, due to which 22 were `successfully neutralised` and 18 injured since Dec 14.

The ISPR added that the IBOs would continue till peace in the area was restored and the terrorists were eliminated.

`Security forces of Pakistan are determined to wipe out the menace of terrorism from the country,` it concluded.

On Tuesday, an encounter took place in the general area of Tirah Valley, where security forces `successfully neutralised two terrorists.

Armed terrorists, affiliated with various groups, are understood to have gradually moved out of the plains of Tirah valley,taking refuge in vacant houses in the hilly terrain, as security forces fortified their positions in key locations of the valley.

President Asif Ali Zardari paid tribute to the securityforcesforthe successful operations.

He vowed to continue operations against terrorists till the complete elimination of terrorism.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also commended the security forces for the operations.

`The entire nation stands with the security forces in the war against terrorism,` PM Shehbaz said.

He also expressed the resolve to eradicate all forms of terrorism from the country.