Quetta, October 25,2026: Security forces have killed a key militant commander during an intelligence-based operation (IBO) in Balochistan’s Qila Saifullah district, security sources said on Sunday.
The killed militant was identified as Adil Shah, alias Darvesh, who had been affiliated with the Fitna al-Khawarij terrorist group since December 2020, according to the sources.
They said Shah had been overseeing the group’s financial affairs since 2024 and had facilitated accommodation for non-local militants in Zhob, Sherani and Shaban districts.
The sources added that the militant commander was involved in attacks on security forces and kidnapping for ransom during 2022 and 2023.
They further said that 19 cases had been registered against him in anti-terrorism courts, while a bounty of Rs2.5 million had been announced for information leading to his capture.
The operation was conducted as part of security forces’ ongoing actions in Balochistan under Operation Radd-ul-Fitna 3, the sources said.
Pakistan has witnessed a rise in militant attacks, particularly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, since the Afghan Taliban returned to power in 2021. The country recorded its highest monthly number of militant attacks in 12 years in September 2026.
Islamabad has repeatedly urged Kabul to prevent its territory from being used by militant organisations to launch attacks inside Pakistan. Pakistan maintains that the Afghan Taliban authorities have failed to take effective action against groups responsible for attacks on Pakistani security personnel and civilians.
Despite multiple rounds of talks, Pakistan and Afghanistan have yet to resolve their differences, with the presence of militant groups operating from Afghan territory remaining a major point of contention between the two sides.
