Pakistan’s security forces killed at least 145 militants during sweeping operations across Balochistan over a 40-hour period following coordinated attacks that rocked the southwestern province, the provincial chief minister said Sunday, calling it one of the deadliest crackdowns in years.
The militants were killed during raids carried out Friday and Saturday, as well as in ongoing clearance operations, Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfaraz Bugti told reporters in Quetta. The military had earlier reported that 92 militants were killed on Saturday alone.
“This is the highest number of militants eliminated in such a short span since the insurgency intensified,” Bugti said, without offering comparative figures.
The violence erupted across multiple districts simultaneously, including Quetta, Gwadar, Mastung and Noshki, underscoring the operational reach of separatist groups in the resource-rich province bordering Iran and Afghanistan. The attacks targeted security forces, civilians and infrastructure, prompting large-scale responses from the army, police and counterterrorism units.
Bugti said at least 17 law enforcement personnel and 31 civilians were killed during the attacks. Hospitals in several districts were placed on emergency footing as casualties mounted.
The banned separatist group Baloch Liberation Army claimed responsibility, saying it launched a coordinated operation known as “Herof,” or “black storm,” aimed at security installations across the province.
Pakistan’s military said the assaults were carried out by what it described as “Indian-sponsored militants,” a claim New Delhi swiftly rejected. India’s Foreign Ministry said the accusations were baseless and accused Islamabad of attempting to divert attention from its internal challenges.
“We categorically reject the allegations made by Pakistan,” Indian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said, urging Islamabad to address “long-standing demands of its people in the region.”
The military said security forces successfully repelled militant attempts to seize control of any city or strategic facility. Clearance operations were continuing Sunday to ensure no fighters remained in affected areas.
Balochistan, Pakistan’s largest and poorest province, has been gripped by a decades-long insurgency led by ethnic Baloch separatists who accuse the federal government of exploiting the region’s vast natural resources while leaving local communities impoverished.
The latest violence highlights the persistence of militant activity in the province, even as Pakistan confronts other security threats elsewhere in the country, including periodic attacks by Islamist groups linked to the Pakistani Taliban.
Reuters
