The death toll in Operation Shaban has risen to 88 after security forces eliminated three more India-backed militants in Balochistan, officials confirmed on Wednesday.
The joint offensive, carried out by the Pakistan Army, Frontier Corps, and Balochistan police, was launched following the deadly assault on the Mangi Dam police station in Ziarat. Since then, the campaign has expanded into one of the province’s most sustained counter-militancy pushes in recent months.
Aerial and Ground Strikes Target Militant Hideouts
According to security officials, the Balochistan security operation combines both air and ground assaults to dismantle militant strongholds across the region. Forces have reported successful hits on several hideouts used by armed groups operating in the area.
Officials further disclosed that, when combined with other intelligence-led missions carried out across Balochistan since July 5, the overall militant death toll under Operation Shaban and related efforts has reached 126.
Authorities reiterated that the operation will continue province-wide “until the last terrorist” is eliminated, signaling no immediate end to the campaign.
Recent Clashes and Weapons Recovered
A day before the latest update, security sources reported that six additional terrorists were killed in separate encounters across the province.
Forces also recovered a substantial cache of weapons and ammunition from the slain militants, including:
- Submachine guns
- Rocket launchers
- Mobile phones
- Other military equipment
Mangi Dam Attack and Rising Casualties
The renewed offensive comes weeks after at least 42 people — including both security personnel and civilians — lost their lives in three separate terrorist attacks across Balochistan.
ISPR Director General Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry had earlier stated that India-backed militants stormed the Mangi checkpoint, but police personnel resisted fiercely, killing 15 attackers during the initial confrontation. Nine police officers were martyred in that exchange, while militants briefly held other personnel hostage before reinforcements arrived.
Broader Security Context
Pakistan has seen a marked rise in militant activity, particularly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, since the Afghan Taliban took control of Afghanistan in 2021. In response, Islamabad launched Operation Ghazab lil-Haq, striking militant hideouts across the border and inflicting heavy casualties on Afghan Taliban-linked operatives.
Despite multiple rounds of diplomatic engagement, Pakistan and Afghanistan have failed to reach a lasting agreement, largely because the Afghan Taliban government remains unwilling to act against militant networks operating from its territory.
With the toll from Operation Shaban now at 88, Pakistani security forces show no signs of scaling back their campaign against militancy in Balochistan. As aerial and ground operations continue, officials maintain their pledge to pursue militants until the province is cleared of armed threats.
