Five terrorists have been killed in an exchange of fire with security forces in the general Mashkai area of Balochistan’s Awaran district, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said on Sunday.

In a statement, the military’s media affairs wing said that security forces conducted the intelligence-based operation on the night of Dec 30 and Dec 31 over the reported presence of terrorists.

The terrorists’ hideout was also busted and a cache of arms, ammunition and explosives was recovered, the ISPR said and adding that a sanitisation operation was being carried out to eliminate other terrorists in the area.

“The security forces of Pakistan, in step with the nation, remain determined to thwart attempts of sabotaging peace, stability and progress of Balochistan,” the statement added.

Pakistan has witnessed an uptick in terror activities in recent months after the banned militant organisation Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan ended its ceasefire with the government last year.

On Saturday, the ISPR said a terrorist commander was killed among five militants during an operation in the Mir Ali area of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s North Waziristan district.