Security forces have killed 17 more Indian-backed terrorists during an ongoing operation in Balochistan, bringing the total number of terrorists killed in Operation Shaban to 43, security sources said on Friday. The joint operation by the Pakistan Army, Frontier Corps (FC) and Balochistan Police was launched in the aftermath of the terrorist attack on the Mangi Dam Police Station and remains underway, with forces intensifying action against terrorists across the province.
Attack on Police Station Triggers Response
Terrorists ambushed police personnel deployed in the Kach Mangi Phase III area of Ziarat on Tuesday, triggering hours-long gun battles that left nine police officers, including two station house officers, dead. Terrorists also abducted several civilians and police personnel after the attack. The military subsequently launched a series of counterterrorism operations across Balochistan.
Ongoing Operations and Recent Casualties
In a statement issued today, security sources said the ongoing operation had further tightened the cordon around terrorists hiding in the region's rugged mountainous terrain, adding that multiple ground and aerial operations were continuing. It said that in the past 24 hours, security forces killed another 17 terrorists, taking the total number of those killed in Operation Shaban to 43.
The sources said an attack on a police station in the Zehri area of Khuzdar earlier today was repulsed. They said swift action by the Pakistan Army and FC troops resulted in the confirmed killing of eight terrorists, while reports suggested that five to six more were killed during helicopter operations. The joint operation by the Pakistan Army, Balochistan FC and police later continued, with security forces targeting terrorists hiding in the mountains using heavy weapons, the sources said. During the latest phase of the operation, four more terrorists were killed, while several others were reported injured, according to the sources.
Total Terrorist Deaths Since July 5
According to the sources, security forces had already killed 26 terrorists during operations conducted on July 6 and 7. The sources added that since July 5, a total of 79 terrorists had been killed in Operation Shaban and other intelligence-based operations conducted in the area.
