Security forces have killed 10 terrorists and arrested two female suicide bombers along with a facilitator during two intelligence-based operations (IBOs) in Balochistan’s Surab and Mastung districts over the past 48 hours, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said on Wednesday.
According to the military’s media wing, the operations were conducted as part of the ongoing counter-terrorism campaign targeting the banned outfit Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), referred to as Fitna al-Hindustan, and the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), referred to by the state as Fitna al-Khawarij.
ISPR said security forces carried out multiple intelligence-based area sanitisation and targeted operations in different parts of Surab and Mastung, successfully engaging terrorist hideouts and eliminating 10 terrorists.
During the operation in Surab, security forces killed seven terrorists after effectively engaging their positions.
In a separate intelligence-based operation in Mastung, security forces eliminated three terrorists while arresting two female suicide bombers and one facilitator. According to ISPR, the arrested suspects belonged to the banned outfit BLA (Fitna al-Hindustan).
Security forces also recovered a cache of weapons, ammunition and improvised explosive devices (IEDs) from the terrorists during the operations.
ISPR said sanitisation operations are continuing in the area to eliminate any remaining terrorists or their facilitators.
“The relentless counter-terrorism campaign under the vision of Azm-e-Istehkam, approved by the Federal Apex Committee on the National Action Plan, will continue at full pace to eradicate foreign-sponsored terrorism from Pakistan,” the military’s media wing said.
The latest operations come as security forces continue Operation Shahban, launched after the deadly terrorist attack on a police check post in Ziarat. According to security sources, the operation has resulted in the killing of at least 129 terrorists since its launch.
Earlier this month, 42 people, including security personnel and civilians, were martyred in three separate terrorist attacks in Balochistan, according to ISPR Director General Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry. Security forces have since intensified intelligence-based operations across the province to dismantle terrorist networks and prevent further attacks.
