ISLAMABAD: Pakistani security forces killed four militants in the country’s restive southwestern Balochistan province, the military’s media wing said on Thursday, after an intelligence-based raid on their hideout.

Balochistan, which borders Afghanistan and Iran, is strategically important for its mineral wealth and as a transit hub for the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). However, it has long been racked by a separatist insurgency, with groups such as the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) stepping up attacks in recent years.

Islamabad says these militants are backed by Indian intelligence, branding them “Fitna-e-Hindustan,” or India’s mischief, a charge New Delhi denies.

“On 17 September 2025, security forces conducted an intelligence based operation in Khuzdar District of Balochistan, on reported presence of terrorists belonging to Indian proxy, Fitna al Hindustan,” the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said.

“During the conduct of operation, own forces effectively engaged the terrorists’ location, and after an intense fire exchange, four Indian sponsored terrorists were sent to hell,” it added.

The military said weapons, ammunition and explosives were recovered from the militants, who were involved in multiple attacks in the area.

A “sanitization operation” was also underway to eliminate any other terrorist found in the area, it added, vowing to eradicate militant violence and bring those responsible to justice.

Separatist militant groups in Balochistan accuse Pakistan of depriving the province’s locals of a share in its natural resources, allegations which Islamabad denies. 

The province has witnessed a string of high-profile attacks this year. In March, the BLA hijacked a passenger train, and in May, a suicide bombing in Khuzdar killed several children after targeting their school bus.

Security forces, civilians and non-local workers are frequently targeted, and authorities have relied on intelligence-based operations rather than launching a full-scale military campaign.