33 India-sponsored terrorists killed by security forces in Balochistan since Sept 21: ISPR

Security forces have killed 33 terrorists in counter-terrorism operations in Balochistan since Sept 21, the military’s media affairs wing said in a statement on Friday.

Terrorists from Fitna-al-Khawarij and Fitna-al-Hindustan were targeted in the operations, according to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR).

The state uses the term Fitna al-Khawarij for the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and refers to designated Balochistan-based groups as Fitna al-Hindustan to highlight India’s role in terrorism and destabilisation across Pakistan.

Detailing the operations, the ISPR said that on Sept 24, as part of the ongoing Operation Shaban, security forces “busted additional terrorist hideouts, and after an intense fire exchange, five “India-sponsored terrorists” were killed.

This took the tally of killed terrorist to 22, it added.

“Weapons, ammunition and explosives were also recovered from khawarij locations. The clearance operation will continue till the complete neutralisation of threat from the area,” the statement said.

In another engagement on Sept 25, security forces conducted an intelligence-based operation in the Nushki district.

“During the conduct of [the] operation, own troops effectively engaged [the] terrorists’ hideout and after an intense fire exchange, 11 terrorists were sent to hell,” the ISPR stated.

“[The] relentless counter-terrorism campaign under the vision ‘Azm-i-Istehkam’ (as approved by [the] Federal Apex Committee on National Action Plan) by security forces and law enforcement agencies of Pakistan will continue at full pace to wipe out [the] menace of foreign-sponsored and -supported terrorism from the country,” the military’s media wing added.

Balochistan has witnessed an increase in terrorist attacks in recent weeks, prompting security forces to intensify counter-terrorism operations.

The number of terrorist attacks in the province increased by seven per cent from 83 in July to 89 in August, according to a monthly assessment by the Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies.

A day prior, security for­ces killed 19 terrorists in separate intelligence-ba­s­ed operations in Sha­ban, Kech and Quetta West during which a soldier was also martyred.

In a statement, the ISPR said inte­lligence agencies had reported the presence of multiple hideouts of Indian-sponsored Fitna al-Khawarij and Fitna al-Hindustan in Quetta district’s Shaban area, “posing a threat to the local population”.

On September 22, six terrorists were killed and nine suspected individuals were arrested during an intelligence-based operation by security forces in Balochistan’s Saran Tangi area, state-run Radio Pakistan reported.

According to Radio Pakistan, a large cache of ammunition and weapons were also recovered from the possession of the terrorists.

Earlier that day, security forces killed four more terrorists belonging to a banned organisation in an intelligence-based operation carried out in two areas of Panjgur district.

According to officials, security forces launched an intelligence-based operation on the information about the presence of armed militants in Koh-Prom and the Aphan area of Panjgur district.

“Four armed terrorists of Fitna al Hindustan were killed in the heavy gun battle during the operation,” they said, adding that a large quantity of arms and ammunition was seized from the hideouts of the terrorists.