Security forces killed nine militants in two intelligence-based operations in Balochistan, the military’s media wing said on Wednesday. According to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the operations took place in the Kachhi and Wadh districts on October 26.
The ISPR said the raids targeted members of what it called Fitna Al Hindustan, which it described as Indian-sponsored. Pakistani authorities use that label for all militant groups active in Balochistan.
Seven militants die in Kachhi hideout raid
In Kachhi, security forces moved against a hideout after receiving reports that militants were present there. The ISPR said an intense exchange of fire followed, and troops recovered weapons and ammunition from the site.
In Wadh, forces tracked militants and intercepted their movement. Two were killed in an exchange of fire, and more weapons and ammunition were seized, the statement said. Sanitisation operations to find any remaining militants in the area were still under way, the ISPR added.
Military vows to continue campaign under Azm-e-Istehkam
The ISPR said the counterterrorism drive, carried out under the government’s Azm-e-Istehkam vision, would continue. The vision was approved by the Federal Apex Committee on the National Action Plan, and the campaign would keep targeting what the military called foreign-sponsored and supported terrorism.
Separately, the ISPR referred to clearance operations on October 23 in Gwadar, after attacks in the port city and near the Gabd Border Crossing. It said security forces killed 10 militants, including a woman, during those operations.
According to the military, one civilian was killed and several vehicles were damaged in the attacks. No security personnel were martyred, it added, and the suspected militants were again described as belonging to Fitna Al Hindustan.
Balochistan’s long-running separatist insurgency and grievances
Balochistan is Pakistan’s largest province by area and is rich in natural resources, yet it remains the least developed. It borders Iran and Afghanistan and has faced a separatist insurgency lasting decades that has intensified in recent years.
Separatist groups accuse the federal government of exploiting the province’s resources and directing development benefits elsewhere. Islamabad rejects these allegations, saying it is working to improve living conditions and expand development.
Pakistan has repeatedly accused India of backing militant groups in Balochistan, and has accused Afghanistan of allowing its territory to be used for attacks in the western border regions. New Delhi and Kabul deny the allegations.
