QUETTA: Five members of a banned outfit were killed in a gun battle with security forces during an operation in the Mashkey area of Awaran district, the military said.

Officials said that on a tip-off about the presence of terrorists in the area, security forces on Saturday targeted their hideout, during which a heavy exchange of fire took place.

Confirming the killings, Inter-Services Public Relations, the military’s media affairs wing, said that security forces had conducted intelligence-based operation in the general area of Mashkey on reports about the presence of terrorists.

During the operation, five terrorists were killed, it said.

“Terrorists’ hideout was also busted and a cache of arms, ammunition and explosives was recovered,” the ISPR statement said, adding that a sanitisation operation is being carried out to eliminate any other terrorists found in the area.

“Security forces of Pakistan, in step with the nation, remain determined to thwart attempts of sabotaging peace, stability and progress of Balochistan,” the ISPR said.

Published in Dawn, january 1st, 2024