Balochistan militant death toll climbs to 102 as security operation enters second week

Security forces in Balochistan killed 23 more militants over the past day, pushing the overall death toll since July 5 to 102, state media reported on Saturday, citing security sources.

Security forces killed 12 militants belonging to Fitna al Khawarij in the latest round of operations, according to state media reports quoting security officials. Separately, forces killed two militants linked to Fitna al Hindustan during an intelligence based operation near the N 25 crossing in the province, according to Radio Pakistan. The state uses the term Fitna al Khawarij to refer to militants belonging to the banned Tehreek e Taliban Pakistan, while it uses Fitna al Hindustan to describe terrorist organizations operating within Balochistan.

Security sources said personnel recovered weapons, hand grenades, a motorcycle, mobile phones, flags belonging to a banned organization and other equipment from the two militants killed near the N 25 crossing.

The ongoing operations fall under Operation Shaban, a high intensity counterterrorism and counterinsurgency campaign that Pakistan’s security forces launched following a series of high casualty attacks in Balochistan. State run Pakistan Television reported earlier Saturday that Operation Shaban continues across the province as the Pakistan Army, Frontier Corps and police intensify coordinated air and ground operations against militant hideouts. According to the broadcaster, security sources said nine militants died in one recent action alone, bringing the total eliminated specifically under Operation Shaban to 52, while the broader tally since July 5, including all intelligence based operations, reached 88 before Saturday’s latest reported killings. Security sources indicated the operation will continue until forces eliminate the last remaining militant.

Officials said Friday that the Pakistan Army, Frontier Corps and police have conducted a joint operation in Quetta district’s Shaban area since July 5, targeting militants responsible for killing 27 police personnel during an attack on a police post at the Mangi Dam pumping station. The attackers killed nine police personnel, including two station house officers, during the initial assault and abducted 18 additional officers at gunpoint. The militants later killed the abducted personnel, whose bodies were recovered from the mountainous Zarghoon Gar area. State run Radio Pakistan reported Friday that the death toll among militants had reached 79 since the start of the operation.

Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi praised the army, Balochistan Frontier Corps and police for eliminating nine additional militants during the operation, commending what he described as their unwavering resolve and bravery. Naqvi said the forces had thwarted the enemy’s harmful plans and described their sacrifices and achievements in pursuit of peace in Balochistan as a golden chapter in the region’s history. He added that militants represent a burden on both the country and its people.

Shahid Rind, aide to the Balochistan chief minister on information and political affairs, said the provincial government has issued orders to provide 11.1 million rupees in compensation to the families of those killed in the Mangi Dam attack, acting on directions from Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti. Rind said officials completed all administrative and financial procedures for the compensation on an expedited basis under the chief minister’s special instructions. He added that the Balochistan government will support the families of those killed, ensure their welfare and cover all educational expenses for the children of the deceased.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said Thursday that the country’s civilian and military leadership reached a mutual and unified decision to end terrorism following a series of major attacks in Balochistan. He made the remarks during a meeting of the Provincial Apex Committee on the National Action Plan held in Quetta, with Chief of Defence Forces and Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir also in attendance. Chairing the session, Sharif declared that the civilian and military leadership had jointly decided that the country must work collectively to end terrorism.

According to the military’s spokesperson, the terrorist attacks and subsequent security operations since July 5 have claimed at least 42 lives, including four civilians, 27 police personnel and 11 security force members.

The rising toll of militant deaths since July 5 reflects the scale and intensity of the security response following the Mangi Dam attack, which triggered one of the largest coordinated counterterrorism campaigns in the province in recent years. Officials have not indicated when the operation might conclude, though security sources have repeatedly stated that forces intend to continue the campaign until they eliminate every militant involved in recent attacks across the province.