At least four local residents were martyred and seven others injured after armed militants belonging to the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) attacked the suburban area of Hanna Urak on the outskirts of Quetta on Sunday, triggering a fierce exchange of fire with local tribesmen.
According to official information, residents of Hanna Urak resisted the assault and confronted the attackers before law enforcement agencies and security forces arrived, forcing the militants to retreat. Authorities said local tribesmen stood alongside security forces in defending the area against the attackers.
Balochistan Health Minister Bakht Muhammad Kakar said the Frontier Corps (FC), police and other security forces were present in the area and an operation against the militants was continuing.
He stated that local residents were standing shoulder to shoulder with security forces and reaffirmed the government’s resolve to eliminate terrorism, adding that the situation was being closely monitored.
Following the attack, Senator Manzoor Kakar visited Hanna Urak and met local residents. He said he remained in constant contact with security forces and the district administration, adding that additional troops had reached the area. He urged the public to continue cooperating with the security forces.
The incident heightened tensions in the area, prompting the deployment of heavy contingents of the Frontier Corps Balochistan and the Anti-Terrorism Force (ATF), which established defensive positions while search and clearance operations continued.
Government Confirms Ongoing Operation
Addressing a joint press conference in Quetta, Balochistan Home Minister Mir Ziaullah Langove and Chief Minister’s Spokesperson Shahid Rind said terrorists had targeted the patriotic residents of Hanna Urak during the previous night.
Langove said local residents fought back bravely and forced the attackers to flee before security forces launched an operation on the directives of the Chief Minister of Balochistan.
He confirmed that during the ongoing operation, two Anti-Terrorism Force personnel were injured while three militants were killed.
Shahid Rind said a sanitization operation would continue in Hanna Urak and security forces would remain deployed until the entire area had been cleared.
He also warned that action would be taken against individuals spreading unverified information through WhatsApp groups and other social media platforms.
Rind announced that the Chief Minister had constituted a committee headed by the provincial home minister to engage with protesters and address their concerns.
Check Post Established, Search for Abducted Persons Underway
Langove said protecting citizens remained the state’s responsibility and confirmed that a new security check post had been established in Hanna Urak.
He said that the militants intended to force local residents to abandon the area through violence and intimidation.
The home minister further claimed that the attackers had abducted seven people during the assault, adding that security forces were making full efforts to recover them and restore complete control of the area.
He also said that the militants were receiving support from India and that Afghanistan was allowing its territory to be used by terrorist groups, reiterating the provincial government’s position on cross-border militancy.
The security operation in Hanna Urak remains ongoing as authorities continue search, clearance and rescue efforts.
