Pakistan military kills four separatist militants in Balochistan operation

Pakistan’s military said Tuesday that its security forces killed four militants of the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) — a separatist group designated as a terrorist organization — during an overnight intelligence-based operation in the southwestern province of Balochistan.

The military’s media wing, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), said the operation took place in Kalat district on the night of Nov. 1 following “credible intelligence” about the presence of militants in the area.

“During the operation, security forces effectively engaged the terrorists’ hideout, killing four on the spot,” the statement said.

Weapons and ammunition were recovered from the site. The ISPR added that the slain militants were linked to “Fitna al Hindustan,” an alleged Indian proxy network, and were involved in multiple attacks against security forces and civilians.

After the raid, troops launched a sanitization effort to ensure no remaining threats were present in the area.

The operation was carried out under the ongoing counterterrorism campaign known as “Azm-e-Istehkam,” or “resolve for stability,” which the government launched earlier this year to eliminate militant networks nationwide.

ISPR reaffirmed that the country’s security forces and law enforcement agencies “remain fully committed to eradicating terrorism” under the campaign, which operates under the directives of the Federal Apex Committee on the National Action Plan — Pakistan’s main framework for combating terrorism.

“The campaign will continue at full pace to root out the menace of foreign-sponsored terrorism from the country,” the military statement added.

President Asif Ali Zardari praised the military’s success in a post on the social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, saying, “The nation stands firmly with its forces in their resolve to root out terrorism under Operation Azm-e-Istehkam.”

Surge in violence across Pakistan

The Kalat operation followed similar counterterror raids in the northwestern province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, where the military said three militants were killed in two separate incidents on Monday.

Also on Monday, the Director General of ISPR Lt. Gen. Ahmad Sharif Chaudhry told senior journalists that Pakistan is confronting multiple militant groups, including the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and the BLA.

“Pakistan’s security is guaranteed by the armed forces — that guarantee cannot be handed to Kabul,” he said, referring to neighboring Afghanistan.

Islamabad and Kabul were involved in a deadly border clash last month, underscoring tense relations between the two countries. Later, both countries agreed to a ceasefire following mediation by Qatar and Turkey.

Pakistan has witnessed a sharp rise in militant violence over the past two years, particularly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan. Most attacks have targeted police, soldiers, and other law enforcement personnel.

The surge in violence followed the TTP’s breach of a ceasefire agreement with Islamabad in 2022. Pakistani officials say many TTP leaders operate from Afghan soil — an allegation Kabul denies.

Balochistan’s long-running insurgency

Balochistan, Pakistan’s largest province by area but one of its least developed, has long faced a low-level separatist insurgency. Groups like the BLA claim to be fighting for greater autonomy and a larger share of local resources.

The province borders both Iran and Afghanistan and is home to major Chinese investments under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), including the deep-water Gwadar Port on the Arabian Sea.

In August, the United States designated the BLA and its suicide squad, the Majeed Brigade, as foreign terrorist organizations, citing their role in attacks against civilians, security personnel, and Chinese nationals working in Pakistan.