Security forces killed at least 18 Indian-sponsored terrorists in separate intelligence-based operations (IBOs) in Quetta and Sherani, officials confirmed on Wednesday.
According to security sources, a joint operation was launched in the Ghaza Band area on the outskirts of Quetta. During a fierce exchange of fire, 10 militants were killed, while two security personnel sustained injuries. A large cache of weapons and ammunition was recovered from the site. Police said the slain terrorists were involved in attacks on security forces and other subversive activities.
In a separate IBO in Sherani district, security forces engaged militants of the Fitna al-Khawarij group, killing eight terrorists after an intense clash. Arms and ammunition were also seized during the operation.
The recent surge in militant violence has prompted intensified counterterrorism actions in Balochistan. Just a day earlier, six militants, including a suicide bomber, were killed during an assault on the Frontier Constabulary (FC) headquarters on Quetta’s Hali Road. The attack left 10 people martyred, including two FC personnel, and over 30 injured.
On September 24, security forces conducted a major operation in Dera Ismail Khan’s Daraban area, killing 13 terrorists belonging to the Fitna al-Khawarij. According to ISPR, the militants were responsible for targeted killings, suicide bombings, abductions, and the December 2023 Daraban suicide attack. Weapons and ammunition were recovered from the hideout.
The military has reiterated its resolve to eradicate terrorism from Pakistan, emphasizing that groups such as TTP and their allied outfits will be formally referred to as Khawarij.
According to the Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies (PICSS), militants carried out 28 attacks in Balochistan in August 2025, killing 52 people, including 23 security personnel and 21 civilians, and injuring 45 others. Security forces killed 50 militants in the same month, marking the highest monthly toll since June 2015.
