Eight Terrorists Killed in Balochistan IBOs, Says ISPR
Security forces killed eight terrorists during two intelligence-based operations in Balochistan’s Kharan and Mastung districts, the Inter-Services Public Relations said on Saturday. The military’s media wing said the actions were carried out on June 25 and 26 as part of ongoing counterterrorism efforts against groups it described as foreign-sponsored threats to Pakistan’s security.
According to the ISPR statement, the first operation took place in Kharan after security forces tracked the movement of a group of militants. Troops engaged the suspects in what the military described as a timely and precise action, killing three terrorists while injuring several others.
A second operation was launched in Mastung on intelligence about the possible presence of a suicide bomber. The ISPR said security forces surrounded and engaged the location, leading to an intense exchange of fire in which five terrorists, including the suspected suicide bomber, were killed.
The military said weapons, ammunition, improvised explosive devices and motorcycles were recovered from the sites of the operations. Sanitisation operations were also launched in the affected areas to ensure that no remaining militants or explosives posed a threat to local communities.
President Asif Ali Zardari praised the security forces for the Balochistan operations and said their action reflected professionalism, courage and resolve. He called for operations to continue until foreign-sponsored terrorism is completely eliminated from the country.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also commended the forces, saying the operations had foiled designs against Pakistan’s peace and security. The premier said the fight against terrorism would continue until all such threats were brought to their logical end.
Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi separately lauded the security personnel involved in the intelligence-based operations. He said the timely response had prevented militant plans from advancing and reaffirmed that the nation stood with security forces in the fight against terrorism.
Balochistan has remained a major focus of Pakistan’s counterterrorism campaign because militant groups have repeatedly targeted security personnel, infrastructure projects, civilians and government installations in the province. The recovery of explosives and motorcycles indicates that authorities believe the suspects may have been preparing further attacks.
The latest operations are significant because they come amid a wider national push under the Azm-e-Istehkam security framework, which aims to intensify action against militant networks and their facilitators. For Pakistan, successful intelligence-led operations are considered critical to preventing attacks before they reach crowded public places or sensitive installations.
Authorities are expected to continue follow-up searches in the affected districts while intelligence agencies assess whether the killed militants were linked to wider cells operating in Balochistan. The next phase will focus on clearing the area, tracing facilitators and preventing retaliatory attacks against security forces or civilians.