Security forces have killed more than 70 militants in multiple operations across Balochistan over the past four days, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said on Sunday.
According to the military’s media wing, more than 71 members of groups it described as India-sponsored Fitna al-Khawarij and Fitna al-Hindustan were killed during operations in several areas of the province.
The ISPR said the operations were launched after intelligence agencies identified militant hideouts posing a threat to local communities.
56 militants killed in Operation Shaban
The military said security forces launched Operation Shaban in the Ziarat and surrounding areas of Quetta district on September 21 following what it described as credible intelligence.
During the operation, troops engaged militants and cleared multiple hideouts, killing 33 terrorists in exchanges of fire, according to the ISPR.
Weapons, ammunition and explosives were also recovered from the cleared locations, it said.
The operation was intensified over the following 72 hours, resulting in the deaths of another 23 militants, according to the military.
The ISPR said security forces also cleared a large area and reduced the threat to local communities. The clearance operation remains underway until the threat is completely neutralised, it added.
Security Forces Neutralise 11 India-Sponsored Militants in Balochistan: ISPR
Separate operations in Nushki and Mand
In a separate intelligence-based operation in Nushki district on September 25, security forces targeted a militant hideout and killed 11 terrorists, the ISPR said.
Another six militants were killed during an operation in Mand, with a large quantity of weapons and ammunition recovered, according to the military.
The ISPR said the combined death toll from Operation Shaban and other operations in Balochistan had exceeded 71 over the previous 96 hours.
ISPR blames Afghan involvement
The military’s media wing alleged that the Afghan Taliban authorities’ involvement in terrorist activities in Pakistan, which it said was backed and sponsored by India, continued to threaten peace and security in the country.
The ISPR said Pakistan’s counterterrorism campaign would continue with “full resolve”, with security forces and law enforcement agencies committed to eliminating what it described as foreign-sponsored terrorism.
Pakistan has reported an increase in militant violence and cross-border attacks, particularly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, since the Afghan Taliban returned to power in 2021.
Islamabad has repeatedly called on Kabul to prevent its territory from being used by militant groups for attacks inside Pakistan.
Pakistan maintains that Afghan Taliban authorities have not taken sufficient action against groups it holds responsible for attacks on Pakistani security forces and civilians.
