ISLAMABAD: Security forces killed five terrorists during an intelligence-based operation in Balochistan's Washuk district, the military's media wing said Thursday.
The operation was conducted on the night of Oct. 12 and 13 following reports of the presence of terrorists affiliated with the Indian proxy group Fitna al-Hindustan, according to a statement issued by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR).
The statement said security forces swiftly dismantled a terrorist hideout, killing five terrorists sponsored by India. A cache of weapons, ammunition and explosives was also recovered, it added.
Sanitization operations were underway to locate and eliminate any other terrorists in the area, the ISPR said.
It added that the counterterrorism campaign under the vision of "Azm-e-Istehkam," approved by the Federal Apex Committee under the National Action Plan, would continue to counter foreign-sponsored terrorism.
President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif separately praised security forces for the operation.
In a statement issued by the President House, Zardari paid tribute to the forces and commended the ongoing clearance operations aimed at eliminating other foreign-backed terrorists in the region.
He said terrorism would be rooted out at all costs and that attempts by the terrorists' foreign sponsors and their local facilitators would be thwarted.
The prime minister also lauded security forces for killing five terrorists in the operation. He said security forces were achieving significant successes against terrorism under the Azm-e-Istehkam vision and reaffirmed the government's commitment to eliminating all forms of terrorism from the country.