Pakistan's military announced on Tuesday that it has killed 17 militants in a series of intelligence-based operations across the southwestern province of Balochistan. The operations followed a train bombing last month that resulted in the deaths of more than 30 people.
Background of the attacks
The operations were launched after a suicide attack on May 24 targeted a train carrying security personnel and their families near Quetta, the provincial capital. The attack was claimed by the separatist Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), which has been waging a long-running insurgency in the mineral-rich province that borders Iran and Afghanistan.
Military operations and results
In a statement, the military's media wing, Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), said troops conducted raids in the districts of Mastung, Nushki, Zehri, Khuzdar, and Kech. During these operations, 17 militants were killed. The ISPR described the militants as belonging to what it calls "Fitna-al-Hindustan," a term used by Pakistani officials to refer to BLA militants allegedly sponsored and supported by India. New Delhi has rejected these accusations.
“Following intense and fierce exchanges of fire, seventeen terrorists belonging to Indian-sponsored Fitna-al-Hindustan have been sent to hell, giving a significant blow to the terrorist networks operating in these areas,” the ISPR stated.
Recovered items and ongoing threat
The military reported that security forces recovered weapons, ammunition, explosives, and improvised explosive devices from the militants. They accused the militants of involvement in various attacks across the province. Balochistan has seen a surge in militant violence in recent years, including attacks targeting civilians, security forces, and foreign nationals working on projects related to the multibillion-dollar China-Pakistan Economic Corridor.
The military said it is continuing its operations “to wipe out the menace of foreign sponsored and supported terrorism from the country.”
