QUETTA: Five security personnel, including an army major, embraced martyrdom in an exchange of fire with terrorists during a sanitisation operation in the Nosham area of Barkhan district, the military media wing said on Wednesday.

At least seven terrorists were killed in the fight, according to an Inter-Services Public Relation (ISPR) statement.

On Wednesday morning, the ISPR said, troops of Pakistan Army and Frontier Corps, Baloc­histan, commenced an area sanitisation operation at general area Nos­ham of Barkhan district to eliminate terrorists of India-backed Fitna al Hindustan — a designation used by the state for Balochistan-based militant groups.

During the operation, it added, a group of terrorists was located and engaged by troops. During the fire exchange, seven India-backed Fitna al Hind­u­stan terrorists were neutralised.

Weapons, ammunition and explosives were recovered from the slain terrorists.

However, the ISPR added, that five brave sons of soil including a field officer met the ultimate sacrifice and embraced martyrdom during intense fire exchange.

The martyrs include Major Tauseef Ahmed Bhatti (age 31 years, resident of Pakpattan district), Naik Fida Hussain (36, resident of Sukkur), Sepoy Zakir Hussain (32, resident of Skardu), Sepoy Suhail Ahmed (21, resident of Khanewal) and Sepoy Muhammad Ayaz (24, resident of Rahim Yar Khan).

“Sanitisation operations in the surroundings continue to eliminate any other India-sponsored terrorists present in the area,” the ISPR added.

The ISPR said relentless counterterrorism campaign under vision ‘Azm-i-Istehkam’ (as approved by federal apex committee on National Action Plan) by security forces and law enforcement agencies of Pakistan would continue at full pace to wipe out menace of foreign-sponsored and -supported terrorism from the country.

Published in Dawn, May 14th, 2026