Pakistan military says 19 militants killed in Balochistan operations

Pakistani security forces killed 19 militants in counterterrorism operations in Balochistan, the military said Wednesday. Thirteen died in a clearance operation in Quetta's Shaban area, while six more were killed in separate raids in Kech and Quetta West. An army soldier was also killed in the exchanges.

How many militants were killed in Balochistan?

Security forces killed 19 militants in Balochistan across three operations this week. Thirteen died during a clearance operation in Quetta's Shaban area that began Sept. 21, while six more were killed in intelligence-based operations in Kech and Quetta West on Sept. 22 and 23, the military said.

What happened in the Quetta clearance operation?

The Inter-Services Public Relations, the military's media wing, said the 13 militants were killed in the Shaban area of Quetta, where security forces had been conducting a clearance operation since Sept. 21 after intelligence agencies reported multiple militant hideouts.

The military described the groups as Indian-sponsored Fitna Al Khawarij and Fitna Al Hindustan, and said they posed a threat to the local population. Security forces engaged the militants and cleared multiple hideouts during the operation.

Following intense exchanges of fire, 13 terrorists were killed, the ISPR said, adding that weapons, ammunition and explosives were recovered from the cleared hideouts. The clearance operation will continue until the threat in the area is completely neutralized, according to the statement.

What happened in Kech and Quetta West?

In separate intelligence-based operations conducted Sept. 22 and 23 in Kech and Quetta West districts, security forces killed six more militants following intense exchanges of fire, the military said. Weapons and ammunition were also recovered from those sites.

An army officer was killed during one of the exchanges. Subedar Muhammad Jamil, 39, a resident of Taunsa Sharif in Dera Ghazi Khan, embraced martyrdom in the line of duty, the ISPR said.

What is the wider campaign behind these operations?

The military said the operations were part of an ongoing counterterrorism campaign under Azm-e-Istehkam, a strategy approved by the Federal Apex Committee on the National Action Plan.

Security forces and law enforcement agencies remain committed to eliminating the menace of foreign-sponsored and supported terrorism from the country, the ISPR said. The military's account could not be independently verified.