Pakistani security forces executed targeted raids across the southwestern province of Balochistan, killing at least 41 armed fighters on Thursday, the military announced Friday. The operations occurred near the border with Afghanistan in districts including Harnai and Panjgur, areas historically contested by separatist movements against the central government in Islamabad.
In the initial engagement near Harnai, security forces eliminated approximately 30 combatants designated by the military as belonging to Fitna-al-Khawarij, a term the government uses for the banned Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). The military statement, reported by Dawn newspaper, further asserted that 11 militants connected to Fitna-al-Hindustan were killed in a separate operation in Panjgur.
The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the military’s media wing, explicitly alleged that the 11 individuals killed in Panjgur were "India-sponsored terrorists." Recoveries from this second raid reportedly included ammunition and funds allegedly stolen during a recent bank robbery in the same district in December.
Significantly, the Pakistani military offered no immediate evidence to substantiate the claims linking the deceased fighters to Indian sponsorship. India has not issued a public response to the specific allegations arising from these operations, as reported by various news outlets.
No Pakistani soldiers were reportedly killed during the engagements, and the military confirmed that ongoing "sanitisation operations" were underway to secure the areas fully. This latest security action follows a recent pattern where Islamabad attributes significant militant activity to external actors, often naming India.
Pakistani leadership voiced strong support for the security actions, with President Asif Ali Zardari characterizing the operation as reflecting the state’s "unwavering resolve." Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also affirmed that the nation supported the armed forces in the continuing counter-terrorism efforts, according to reports from Express Tribune.
Balochistan has experienced a recent escalation in violence, primarily attributed to Baloch separatist organizations like the Balochistan Liberation Army, alongside TTP activity. These raids represent a major security response in a region critical due to its proximity to Afghanistan and its resource wealth.
