Quetta, July 16,2026: Security forces have killed three more militants during an ongoing counterterrorism operation in Balochistan, bringing the total number of militants eliminated since the launch of Operation Shaban on July 5 to 129, according to security sources.
The sources said the latest operation was conducted jointly by the Pakistan Army, Frontier Corps (FC) and police, targeting militant hideouts in remote and rugged areas of the province.
They said the operation involved both aerial and ground actions and claimed that the militants were “India-backed terrorists.”
According to the sources, Operation Shaban will continue across Balochistan until all militant networks operating in the province are dismantled.
A day earlier, security sources had also reported the killing of three militants during separate operations in the province.
A large cache of weapons and ammunition was recovered from the slain militants, including submachine guns, rocket launchers, mobile phones and other equipment, the sources added.
The intensified operation comes after a series of deadly terrorist attacks in Balochistan earlier this month. According to Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Director General Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, at least 42 people, including security personnel and civilians, were martyred in three separate attacks.
The military spokesperson had said that militants attacked the Mangi checkpoint, where police personnel resisted the assault and killed 15 attackers during the initial engagement.
Pakistan has witnessed an increase in militant violence, particularly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, since the Afghan Taliban returned to power in Afghanistan in 2021. Security forces have continued intelligence-based and clearance operations aimed at dismantling militant networks and restoring stability in the affected regions.
