KARACHI: Pakistani security forces on Friday killed two militants during an intelligence-based operation in the southwestern Balochistan province, the military said, as the region continues to experience an uptick in separatist attacks.
Balochistan, Pakistan’s largest province by landmass and rich in mineral resources, has faced a low-level insurgency for nearly two decades. Baloch separatist groups accuse the central government of exploiting local resources, such as gold and copper, without benefiting the local population.
Islamabad denies the allegations, saying it is committed to improving the lives of local residents in the province through various development projects.
The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said in a statement security forces conducted the operation in Kech District on the reported presence of militants.
“During the conduct of operation, own troops effectively engaged the terrorists’ location and after an intense fire exchange, two terrorists were sent to hell,” said the statement.
“The killed terrorists remained actively involved in numerous terrorist activities in the area against the law enforcement agencies as well as the innocent civilians,” it added.
The ISPR said a “sanitization operation” was continuing in the area to eliminate any remaining militants.
It maintained that Pakistani forces were “determined to thwart attempts at sabotaging peace, stability and progress of Balochistan.”
Reacting to the development, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif praised the security forces for carrying out the operation.
“The nation is proud of the bravery of our officers and soldiers,” he said in a statement circulated by his office.
“Our war against terrorism will continue until it is completely eradicated from the country,” he added.
Pakistan says two militants killed in Balochistan amid ongoing separatist violence
https://arab.news/5kknn
Pakistan says two militants killed in Balochistan amid ongoing separatist violence
- The military says both militants were ‘actively involved in numerous terrorist activities’ in the area
- Shehbaz Sharif applauds the security forces for the operation, vows to eliminate militant violence
Cross-border clash breaks out between Pakistan and Afghanistan amid rising tensions
- Border residents say exchange of fire in the Chaman border sector lasted nearly two hours
- Both governments issue competing statements blaming the other for initiating the violence
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Afghanistan witnessed yet another border clash, according to officials in both countries who spoke in the early hours of Saturday, with each side accusing the other of launching “unprovoked” attacks.
Fighting erupted in Pakistan’s southwestern Chaman border sector, with an AFP report saying that residents on the Afghan side of the frontier reported the exchange of fire began at around 10:30 p.m. (1800 GMT) and continued for roughly two hours.
The incident underscored how tensions remain high between the neighbors, who have seen deadly clashes in recent months despite several rounds of negotiations mediated by Qatar and Türkiye that resulted in a tenuous truce in October.
“There has been unprovoked firing by Afghan Taliban elements in the Chaman Sector which is a reckless act that undermines border stability and regional peace,” said a Pakistani security official on condition of anonymity.
“Pakistani troops responded with precision, reinforcing that any violation of our territorial integrity will be met with immediate and decisive action,” he continued.
The official described Pakistan’s response as “proportionate and calibrated” that showed “professionalism even in the face of aggression.”
“The Chaman Sector exchange once again highlights the need for Kabul to rein in undisciplined border elements whose actions are destabilizing Afghanistan’s own international standing,” he added.
Relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan have grown increasingly bitter since the Taliban seized power in Kabul following the withdrawal of international forces in August 2021.
Islamabad accuses the Taliban administration of sheltering anti-Pakistan militant groups such as the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) and Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), which have carried out deadly attacks in its western provinces bordering Afghanistan, targeting civilians and security forces.
The Taliban deny the charge, saying Pakistan’s internal security challenges are its own responsibility.
The Pakistani security official said his country remained “committed to peaceful coexistence, but peace cannot be one-sided.”
“Attempts to pressure Pakistan through kinetic adventurism have repeatedly failed and will continue to fail,” he said. “The Chaman response has reaffirmed that message unmistakably.”
He added that Pakistan’s security forces were fully vigilant and that responsibility for any escalation “would solely rest with those who initiated unprovoked fire.”
Mosharraf Zaidi, spokesman for Pakistan’s prime minister, also commented on the clashes in a social media post, saying the Afghan Taliban had “resorted to unprovoked firing along the border.”
“An immediate, befitting and intense response has been given by our armed forces,” he wrote.
https://x.com/mosharrafzaidi/status/1997025600775786654?s=46&t=JVxikSd5wyl9Y96OwifS5A
Afghan authorities, however, blamed Pakistan for the hostilities.
“Unfortunately, tonight, the Pakistani side started attacking Afghanistan in Kandahar, Spin Boldak district, and the forces of the Islamic Emirate were forced to respond,” Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said on X.
https://x.com/zabehulah_m33/status/1997018198508818891?s=48&t=x28vcP-XUuQ0CWAu-biScA
Border clashes that began in October have killed dozens of people on both sides.
The latest incident comes amid reports of back-channel discussions between the two governments, although neither has publicly acknowledged such talks.
