Three terrorists were killed by security forces in an intelligence-based operation in Balochistan’s Pishin District, the military’s media wing said on Tuesday.

A press release from the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said that the operation took place last night on the reported presence of terrorists in the area.

“During the conduct of [the] operation, after intense fire exchange, three terrorists were sent to hell, while one terrorist was apprehended in injured condition, who has been identified as an Afghan national,” the ISPR said.

It added that a large cache of arms, ammunition and explosives was also recovered during the operation.

“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.

Two alleged terrorists were also killed and several injured in a gun battle with security forces in the district a day ago.

According to officials, the local administration had received information about the presence of terrorists in the Sanzalai mountain range of Pishin, following which an operation was planned.

Officials of the Frontier Corps (North) had claimed that the terrorists had crossed into Pishin from Afghanistan and had established their pickets on top of the hills.

Pakistan has witnessed an uptick in terror activities in the past year, especially in KP and Balochistan after the banned militant Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan ended its ceasefire with the government in November 2022.

According to an annual security report issued by the Centre for Research and Security Studies, Pakistan witnessed 1,524 violence-related fatalities and 1,463 injuries from 789 terror attacks and counter-terror operations in 2023 — marking a record six-year high.

KP and Balochistan were the primary centres of violence, accounting for over 90 per cent of all fatalities and 84pc of attacks, including incidents of terrorism and security forces operations.