ISLAMABAD: Pakistani security forces have killed more than 30 militants in a series of intelligence-driven operations across Pakistan’s restive southwestern Balochistan province since September 21, according to the military, which emphasized sustained pressure on escalating insurgent activity.
Balochistan, the nation’s largest yet least-developed province bordering Iran and Afghanistan, has long hosted a protracted separatist struggle and has recently experienced a rise in attacks by both separatist and religiously inspired militant factions.
The military confirmed that security operatives launched targeted strikes in the Shaban district of Balochistan’s Quetta and Nushki regions, resulting in the deaths of 16 combatants. This brings the cumulative toll of militant casualties during ongoing operations in the region to 33 since early September.
Authorities stated that the fallen operatives were affiliated with “Indian‑backed” Baloch nationalist groups as well as the Tehreek‑e‑Taliban Pakistan (TTP). The Indian government has not issued a statement responding to the Pakistani claim.
“Security Forces and Law Enforcement Agencies of Pakistan will intensify our efforts at full speed to eradicate foreign‑sponsored and state‑supported terrorism within the country,” declared the Inter‑Services Public Relations (ISPR) – the Pakistani military’s official media outlet – in its release.
This development occurs amid a sharp increase in violence throughout the mineral‑rich province. Last week, unidentified gunmen shot dead two police officers assigned to guard a polio vaccination team; though no affiliate claimed responsibility, such attacks remain frequent along the Balochistan frontier.
Earlier this year, in July, coordinated assaults by the TTP and Baloch separatists resulted in a tragic loss of life—including 27 senior police personnel—in the Ziarat and Quetta districts. Pakistani forces have subsequently mounted successive campaigns in those zones.
Islamabad has repeatedly accused India of backing and offering refuge to extremist militants targeting civilians in the resource‑rich south‑west. Islamabad and Kabul dismiss these allegations, maintaining mutual denials regarding illicit support networks.