The lawless tribal region, long a safe haven for Islamist militants, is off limits to independent journalists and human rights groups, making it difficult to verify any information independently.
The militants have been waging a war against the Pakistani state in a bid to overthrow government and replace it with a strict Shariah-run Islamic system of governance.
The army, in its statement, didn’t provide further details about the militants and what groups they might belong to.
The militants have accelerated their attacks since they revoked a ceasefire with the government late in 2022, a campaign that has seen some big hits in recent months, targeting only the military and its bases.
Islamabad says the militants run training camps in Afghanistan and plan attacks inside Pakistan, a charge Kabul denies.