Operation Shaban death toll reaches 117 as security forces kill eight more militants

Security forces killed eight more militants during the latest round of Operation Shaban, raising the combined total of militants killed through the operation and related intelligence based efforts across Balochistan since July 5 to 117, security sources said on Monday.

The joint operation involving the Pakistan Army, Frontier Corps and Balochistan Police began following an attack on the Mangi Dam Police Station and remains ongoing, with forces intensifying pressure against militants belonging to Fitna al Khawarij throughout the province.

The operation traces back to Tuesday, when attackers ambushed police personnel stationed in the Kach Mangi Phase III area of Ziarat, triggering hours long gun battles that killed nine police officers, including two station house officers. The assailants also abducted several civilians and police personnel following the attack, prompting the military to launch a series of counterterrorism operations across Balochistan in response.

Security sources said the joint operation continues through coordinated air and ground actions against the banned organization. Fitna al Khawarij refers to militants belonging to the banned Tehreek e Taliban Pakistan. Forces have recovered a substantial quantity of weapons, ammunition and other equipment from militant hideouts during the course of the operation, according to the sources.

The total number of militants killed specifically under Operation Shaban has reached 79, the sources said, while the broader figure including all related intelligence based operations since July 5 stands at 117. Security sources reiterated that the operation would continue until forces eliminate the last remaining militant.

A United Nations Security Council report released in February documented a significant rise in terrorism across Pakistan, particularly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, and noted growing concern over the security situation in both regions. The report drew attention to a series of attacks carried out by the banned Baloch Liberation Army against Pakistani security forces and infrastructure connected to the China Pakistan Economic Corridor. It cited a September 2025 ambush in which the group killed 32 troops during an attack on a military convoy patrolling the corridor, noting that while Pakistani counterterrorism operations had restricted the group’s operational space, it remained active.

The report further stated that some member states had observed coordination between the Baloch Liberation Army and groups including the Tehreek e Taliban Pakistan and ISIL K, involving shared training camps, resources and coordinated planning between commanders. However, the assessment found no significant association or growing ties between the Baloch Liberation Army and either Al Qaeda or ISIL.

According to the report, various armed groups operating from Afghanistan have acquired modern military equipment through cross border smuggling networks and black market trade. The report stated that Tehreek e Taliban Pakistan fighters have used advanced assault rifles, night vision equipment, thermal imaging devices, sniper systems and drone based attack tools, with much of this equipment reportedly provided by Afghanistan’s de facto authorities alongside weapons permits and travel documents.

A separate United Nations monitoring report released in August 2025 by the 1988 Taliban sanctions committee found close coordination between the Baloch Liberation Army, including its Majeed Brigade, and the Tehreek e Taliban Pakistan. The Security Council report also described certain Baloch Liberation Army attacks as showing a high degree of complexity and brutality, citing the hijacking of the Jaffar Express in Balochistan on March 11, 2025, an attack that killed 31 people, including 21 hostages taken during the incident.

The steady climb in militant casualties since Operation Shaban began underscores the scale and intensity of Pakistan’s security response following the Mangi Dam attack, which triggered one of the most sustained counterterrorism campaigns in Balochistan in recent memory. Security officials have not provided a specific timeline for when they expect the operation to conclude, though they have consistently emphasized that the campaign will continue until authorities eliminate the militants responsible for the wave of attacks that struck the province beginning in early July.

The ongoing operation reflects broader patterns identified in United Nations assessments regarding the interconnected nature of militant activity in the region, where multiple banned organizations have reportedly coordinated resources and training despite operating under separate designations. This dynamic has complicated counterterrorism efforts across both Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, as security forces work to address threats that span multiple militant networks with varying degrees of cooperation and shared logistical support.