Security forces killed four terrorists during an intelligence-based operation (IBO) in Balochistan’s Panjgur district, the military’s media wing said on Saturday.

According to a statement issued by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the security forces conducted an operation on December 26 on the reported presence of “Khawarij belonging to Indian proxy, Fitna al Khawarij”.

Fitna al Khawarij is a term the state uses for terrorists belonging to the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).

The statement added during the conduct of operation, “own forces effectively engaged the Khawarij location, and after an intense fire exchange, four Indian sponsored Khawarij were sent to hell”.

The statement further said that weapons, ammunition and explosives were recovered from the killed terrorists, “who remained actively involved in numerous terrorist activities in the area”.

Following the skirmish, a sanitization operation was initiated in the area to “eliminate any other Indian sponsored Khawarij present in the area”.

“Relentless Counter Terrorism campaign under vision “Azm e Istehkam” (as approved by Federal Apex Committee on National Action Plan) by Security Forces and Law Enforcement Agencies of Pakistan will continue at full pace to wipe out the menace of foreign-sponsored and supported terrorism from the country.”

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also paid tribute to the security forces for the successful counter-insurgency operation.

“We’ll foil the nefarious designs of terrorists, who are enemies of humanity,” he said, adding that the entire nation stands with the security forces in the fight against terrorism.

In an X post by the state broadcaster, the PM was quoted as saying the government is determined to completely eradicate all forms of terrorism from the country.

Earlier this month, 12 terrorists were killed during an IBO in Balochistan’s Kalat.

Last year, the federal government, in a meeting comprising top civilian and military leaders, announced a comprehensive, nationwide anti-militant operation codenamed ‘Azm-i-Istehkam’ to mitigate a rise in attacks on security forces by militant groups.