Security officials confirmed on Monday that a fresh Panjgur security forces operation in Balochistan resulted in the deaths of four militants linked to the India-backed Fitna al-Hindustan network. The action took place in the Aphan-e-Koh and Prom localities of Panjgur district.
According to security sources, troops moved into the area after receiving credible intelligence about the presence of these India-backed fighters. What followed was a sustained exchange of gunfire that ultimately left all four militants dead.
Officials added that a substantial haul of advanced weaponry and ammunition was seized from the slain fighters at the scene. Authorities reiterated that the campaign against militancy in the region will not let up, stating that operations will continue until every last terrorist is neutralized.
Linked to N-25 Highway Ambush Near Kalat
This latest Panjgur security forces operation follows closely on the heels of another major counter-terror success just one day earlier, when security personnel thwarted a militant attempt to block traffic along the N-25 highway near Kalat. That operation resulted in five militant deaths and the safe recovery of 23 civilians who had been taken hostage.
The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) explained that the attackers had set up an illegal checkpoint on the highway with the intent of kidnapping travelers, extorting cash, and hijacking vehicles. Security forces reacted quickly, killing five terrorists and recovering a significant stockpile of weapons, ammunition, and explosive materials from the militants’ hideout.
Along with the recovered hostages, six trucks, three buses, and two cars were also seized from the site, ISPR confirmed.
Rising Violence Across Balochistan and KP
Pakistan has seen a marked rise in militant violence, especially across Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, since the Afghan Taliban’s return to power in 2021. The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa terrorism trend has run parallel to the unrest seen in Balochistan, with both provinces bearing the brunt of the country’s security challenges.
Just a day before the Panjgur incident, a separate clash unfolded in KP’s Hangu district, where security forces killed eight militants while six Pakistan Army personnel were martyred during an intense firefight, the military’s media wing reported.
ISPR stated that the confrontation broke out between a security convoy and Fitna al-Khawarij fighters in Hangu, and that the effective response from troops led to the elimination of eight terrorists. Among the six soldiers who lost their lives were Captain Abuzar Farooq and Lieutenant Sheraz Babar, both of whom were leading their troops from the front lines when they fell in the line of duty.
Together, these back-to-back operations in Panjgur, Kalat, and Hangu underscore the intensity of Pakistan’s ongoing fight against India-backed militant networks operating in its western and northwestern provinces.
