At least five terrorists were killed by security forces during an intelligence-based operation (IBO) in the Mashkai area of Balochistan’s Awaran district, said the Inter-Service Public Relations (ISPR) on Sunday. The military’s media wing added that a hideout of the terrorists was also destroyed during the operation and a “cache of arms, ammunition and explosives was recovered”. According to the statement, a sanitisation operation was 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. It should be noted that this year, security forces executed IBOs across Pakistan, resulting in the elimination of 566 terrorists and the arrest of 5,161 others. While evidence linked recent terrorist incidents to sanctuaries in Afghanistan, effective intelligence operations contributed to the reintegration of key figures into the national mainstream. Operations in Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (K-P), Punjab, Gilgit-Baltistan (G-B), and Sindh intensified, leading to significant results. Balochistan witnessed 15,063 IBOs, resulting in the elimination of 109 terrorists.