15 Militants Killed in Balochistan and KP Security Operations

Security forces carried out a series of counterterrorism actions across Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, with officials reporting that 15 terrorists were killed in separate operations. The developments, reported from Rawalpindi and Bannu, came amid heightened security concerns in regions that have seen repeated militant activity in recent months.

According to the military’s media wing, eight terrorists were killed during two intelligence-led operations in Balochistan’s Kharan and Mastung districts on June 25 and 26. The operations were described as part of the continuing national campaign against groups the state identifies as foreign-backed militant networks operating inside Pakistan.

In Kharan, security forces reportedly tracked the movement of a suspected militant group before engaging them. Officials said three terrorists were killed in the action, while several others were injured, indicating that the operation was based on prior intelligence rather than a routine patrol encounter.

A second operation took place in Mastung after intelligence suggested the possible presence of a suicide bomber. Security personnel moved against the suspected location and, following an exchange of fire, killed five terrorists, including the alleged suicide attacker. Weapons, ammunition, improvised explosive devices and motorcycles were recovered from the site, according to the official account.

The Inter-Services Public Relations said the Balochistan operations were connected to the broader counterterrorism drive aimed at preventing attacks and dismantling militant infrastructure. The military statement framed the campaign as a continuing effort to eliminate threats linked to groups it says are supported from outside Pakistan.

In a separate development in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, security sources said at least seven terrorists were killed in Bannu’s Ghora Baka Khel area of Baka Khel tehsil. The operation reportedly targeted a suspicious vehicle believed to be carrying weapons and explosive material near a government school.

Officials said forces acted after receiving credible intelligence about suspicious militant movement in the area. The suspected vehicle was targeted using a quadcopter, triggering an explosion that destroyed it. Security sources said the vehicle was carrying heavy weapons, including a 12.7mm machine gun, rocket-propelled grenades and mortar shells.

Bannu has remained a sensitive district because of recurring militant incidents and attacks on law enforcement personnel. Recent months have seen violence targeting police, security forces and local communities, making the latest operation part of a wider effort to prevent armed groups from regaining mobility in the area.

Separately, police sources reported that four bullet-riddled bodies were found inside an ambulance on CPEC Circular Road in Bannu. Initial findings suggested the men were killed after unidentified attackers opened fire on the ambulance, though officials said the motive had not yet been established and further investigation was underway.

The latest operations are likely to intensify security sweeps in both provinces as authorities attempt to trace remaining networks, supply routes and support structures. For Pakistan, the immediate challenge is to prevent retaliatory attacks while sustaining intelligence-based pressure in areas where militant violence continues to threaten public safety, governance and regional stability.