Pakistan says security forces kill 10 militants in separate operations

Pakistan’s security forces killed 10 militants in separate intelligence-based operations in the northwestern and southwestern parts of the country, the military said on Thursday.

Eight militants were killed during an operation in the Kalat district of the southwestern province of Balochistan on Dec. 24, after security agencies received what the military described as credible intelligence about the presence of fighters linked to an “Indian proxy group,” the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said in a statement.

Security forces surrounded a suspected hideout and exchanged fire with the militants, killing all eight, the statement said, adding that no security personnel were injured. Weapons, ammunition and explosives were recovered from the site, and the militants were accused of involvement in several attacks in the region.

The military said follow-up “sanitization operations” were continuing to ensure no other militants remained in the area, reaffirming its commitment to sustained counterterrorism operations.

In a separate operation in the Kulachi area of Dera Ismail Khan district, security forces killed two more militants, including Dilawar, described by ISPR as a most-wanted “Khwarij” ring leader carrying a reward of 4 million Pakistani rupees ($14,000). The militants were accused of carrying out attacks on civilians and security personnel, with weapons and ammunition recovered from the scene.

ISPR said the operations were conducted under Azm-e-Istehkam, a nationwide security campaign approved by Pakistan’s Federal Apex Committee as part of the National Action Plan to counter militancy.

Pakistan maintains that India backs separatist violence in Balochistan, a claim New Delhi denies. Islamabad has recently described some militant groups as “Fitna al-Hindustan,” while militants linked to the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) are labeled “Fitna al-Khawarij".