ISLAMABAD: Pakistani military’s media wing said on Thursday that 12 militants were killed in two separate counterterror operations in the restive southwestern Balochistan province this week, vowing that security forces would eliminate “foreign-sponsored terrorism” from the country.
The first of the two operations took place on Wednesday in Balochistan’s Washuk district, when security forces detected the movement of six militants in the area. It said all six militants belonging to “Fitna Al-Hindustan,” a term the military uses for separatist Baloch militant groups, were killed in the exchange.
It said the second counterterror operation took place in Mastung district on Thursday. Sic militants were killed during an intense exchange of fire between militants and security forces while a “terrorist” hideout was also destroyed.
“Security forces and law enforcement agencies of Pakistan will continue at full pace to wipe out menace of foreign sponsored and supported terrorism from the country,” the Pakistani military’s media wing, the ISPR, said.
Pakistan frequently blames India for backing and supporting separatist militant groups such as the Baloch Liberation Army and others in carrying out attacks against its law enforcers and citizens. India denies the allegations.
Islamabad also accuses Kabul of supporting the same militant groups that it says operate from Afghan soil. Afghanistan rejects these allegations and urges Pakistan to resolve its security challenges internally.
Balochistan has faced a low-level separatist insurgency for decades, but attacks have intensified in recent years as militants increasingly target infrastructure, security forces and economic assets, particularly projects linked to trade and regional connectivity.
Separatist militant groups accuse the federal government and army of denying locals a share in the province’s mineral resources. Pakistan’s army and government deny the allegations and point to several welfare projects launched to uplift masses in the province.
