Security forces killed seven India-sponsored terrorists during a sanitisation operation in Balochistan’s Barkhan district, while five security personnel, including an army major, embraced martyrdom in an intense exchange of fire, the military’s media wing said on Wednesday.

According to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the operation was carried out jointly by the Pakistan Army and Frontier Corps Balochistan in the Nosham area of Barkhan as part of ongoing efforts against militants linked to Fitna al-Hindustan.

The ISPR said security forces successfully targeted and destroyed militant hideouts during the operation.

However, Major Tauseef Ahmed Bhatti and four other personnel were martyred during heavy gunfire.

The martyred soldiers were identified as Fida Hussain, Zakir Hussain, Sohail Ahmed and Muhammad Ayaz.

The military said a cache of weapons, ammunition and explosive material was recovered from the militants.

Clearance and search operations in the area were still underway to eliminate any remaining militants, the statement added.

The ISPR said operations under the “Azm-e-Istehkam” campaign would continue until terrorism was completely eradicated from the country.

It added that Pakistan’s security forces remained determined to eliminate the “menace of Indian-sponsored terrorism”, while reaffirming that the sacrifices of soldiers in the fight against terrorism would not be forgotten.