Pakistan forces kill six more militants as Operation Shaban continues in Balochistan

Security forces in Balochistan killed six more terrorists on Tuesday as Operation Shaban entered its second week, pushing the overall death toll in the campaign to 85 since it began on July 5, according to security sources.

The joint operation, carried out by the Pakistan Army, the Frontier Corps and Balochistan Police, began after militants attacked the Mangi Dam Police Station, and it continues as forces step up pressure against fighters linked to Fitna al Khawarij across the province. Pakistani authorities use that term to refer to members of the banned Tehreek e Taliban Pakistan.

The operation traces back to an ambush last Tuesday in the Kach Mangi Phase III area of Ziarat, where attackers targeted police personnel and sparked gun battles that stretched on for hours. Nine police officers died in the assault, including two station house officers. Gunmen also abducted several civilians and police personnel before fleeing the scene, prompting the military to launch a broader series of counterterrorism operations throughout Balochistan.

Security officials said forces have relied on a combination of air and ground operations to track down militants, and they described the campaign as inflicting substantial losses on terrorist networks operating in the province. A security source said the Pakistan Army, Frontier Corps Balochistan and police continue to run effective joint operations against Fitna al Khawarij fighters in the region.

Officials said the broader tally, which includes both Operation Shaban and separate intelligence based operations conducted since July 5, now stands at 123 militants killed. Security sources said the operation will continue until forces eliminate the last terrorist present in the province.

Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi commended the security forces for their continued progress in Balochistan, calling the achievements of the joint Pakistan Army, Frontier Corps and police operation commendable. Naqvi said the nation has taken notice of the forces’ effective campaign against what he referred to as Fitna Al Hindustan, a term Pakistani officials sometimes apply to certain militant networks operating from across the border.

Naqvi said security forces disrupted the plans of these militants and killed four more of them in a set of well timed operations. He added that joint operations among the country’s security institutions will persist until authorities eliminate the remaining terrorists, and he said the nation stands firmly behind the soldiers fighting against terrorism.

Rising attacks tied to Afghan border

Terrorist activity has climbed sharply in Pakistan in recent weeks, with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan bearing the brunt of the violence. The uptick has fueled growing unease over security conditions in both provinces, prompting security forces to intensify operations aimed at containing the threat.

A report released in February by the United Nations Security Council pointed to a string of attacks carried out by the banned Baloch Liberation Army against Pakistani security forces and infrastructure tied to the China Pakistan Economic Corridor. The report noted that the group ambushed a Pakistani military convoy patrolling the corridor on September 16, 2025, killing 32 soldiers. It said counterterrorism operations by Pakistani forces limited the group’s room to maneuver, though the organization remained active.

The same report said some member states found evidence that the Baloch Liberation Army worked alongside the Tehreek e Taliban Pakistan and the Islamic State group’s regional affiliate, sharing training camps and resources while coordinating attacks and arranging meetings between commanders. Other member states, however, saw no meaningful ties between the Baloch group and either Al Qaeda or the Islamic State affiliate.

The Security Council report also described how various armed groups based in Afghanistan have obtained modern weaponry through cross border smuggling and black market trade. It said Tehreek e Taliban Pakistan fighters have used advanced assault rifles, night vision equipment, thermal imaging devices, sniper systems and drone based attack systems, much of it supplied by authorities in Afghanistan alongside weapons permits and travel documents.

A separate report issued in August 2025 by the monitoring team tied to the UN’s 1988 Taliban sanctions committee found close coordination between the Tehreek e Taliban Pakistan and the Baloch Liberation Army, including its Majeed Brigade. The Security Council report further noted that some Baloch Liberation Army attacks displayed a notably high level of complexity and brutality, pointing to the hijacking of the Jaffar Express in Balochistan on March 11, 2025, an assault that killed 31 people, including 21 hostages held during the standoff.

The mounting pressure from cross border militancy has kept Pakistani security forces engaged on multiple fronts, with officials repeatedly stressing that operations in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa will remain a priority until the threat subsides. The continued flow of weapons and coordination among militant groups operating near the Afghan border has added urgency to Islamabad’s counterterrorism strategy, even as forces report steady gains against fighters embedded in the province’s rugged terrain.