Army officer among five soldiers martyred, 7 terrorists killed in Balochistan operation

• Pakistan Army, Frontier Corps conduct sanitisation op in Nosham.
• Security forces recover weapons, ammunition from militants.
• Sanitisation op continues against remaining militants in area: ISPR.

Security forces have neutralised seven India-sponsored militants while five security personnel, including an army major, were martyred during a sanitisation operation in Balochistan's Barkhan district, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said on Wednesday.

The military's media wing said Pakistan Army and Frontier Corps Balochistan personnel commenced a sanitisation operation in Barkhan's Nosham area on the morning of May 13 to eliminate terrorists of India-backed Fitna al-Hindustan.

During the operation, a group of terrorists was located and engaged by troops, it said, adding that seven terrorists were killed in an exchange of fire.

"Weapons, ammunition and explosives were also recovered from the killed terrorists."

However, during intense fire exchange, five brave sons of soil, including a field officer, met the ultimate sacrifice and embraced martyrdom, the military's media wing said.

The martyred personnel were identified as Major Tauseef Ahmed Bhatti, 31, a resident of Pakpattan district, Naik Fida Hussain, 36, from Sukkur district, Sepoy Zakir Hussain, 32, from Skardu district, Sepoy Suhail Ahmed, 21, from Khanewal district, and Sepoy Muhammad Ayaz, 24, from Rahim Yar Khan district.

Security forces continue a sanitisation operation to eliminate any other India-sponsored terrorist in the area, the statement read.

The military vowed that the relentless counter-terrorism campaign under the vision "Azm e Istehkam" — as approved by the Federal Apex Committee on the National Action Plan — by security forces and law enforcement agencies will continue at full pace to wipe out the menace of foreign-sponsored and supported terrorism from the country.

Pakistan has seen a sharp increase in cross-border terrorist incidents, particularly in the bordering provinces of KP and Balochistan, since the Afghan Taliban grabbed power in Afghanistan in 2021.

Islamabad has repeatedly urged Kabul to prevent its soil from being used by terrorist organisations to carry out attacks inside its territory.

However, the Afghan Taliban regime refused to act against terror groups involved in countless attacks on Pakistani security forces and civilians.

Pakistan launched Operation Ghazab lil-Haq in February this year, months after the two countries agreed to a ceasefire in October 2025, following clashes triggered by unprovoked gunfire by the Afghan Taliban regime at multiple border points.

Despite many rounds of talks, both countries have so far failed to reach an agreement due to the Afghan Taliban regime's reluctance to take action against terrorist outfits operating from its soil.