ISLAMABAD: Pakistani security forces have killed 49 militants during a series of intelligence-based operations across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan provinces over the past several days, the military said.
The operations, conducted jointly with police, are part of the ongoing counterterrorism campaign aimed at eliminating what officials describe as Indian-sponsored terrorist networks operating under the banners of Fitna Al Khwarij and Fitna Al Hindustan.
In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, security forces killed 12 militants in multiple operations in Bannu, North Waziristan, Orakzai and Khyber districts. Security forces recovered and destroyed a large quantity of explosives, IED detonating remotes, weapons, ammunition and motorcycles, according to military sources.
In Balochistan, 37 militants were killed in 10 intelligence-based operations conducted in Mastung, Mach, Khuzdar and Panjgur districts. Security forces seized and destroyed a significant quantity of weapons, explosive drums and remote detonation equipment.
The operations represent a significant blow to militant networks, officials said.
Earlier this week, security forces conducted operations in Balochistan’s Ziarat, Harnai and Surab districts, killing more than nine militants, according to security sources. The actions were conducted under Operation Radd-ul-Fitna 3, the military’s ongoing counterterrorism campaign.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan have been the country’s main hotspots for violence, together accounting for nearly 96% of all violence-related fatalities during the second quarter of 2026, according to a report by the Centre for Research and Security Studies.
Security forces are conducting sanitization operations to eliminate any remaining militants in the area, according to military sources.
The counterterrorism campaign is being conducted under “Azm e Istehkam” – a vision approved by the Federal Apex Committee on the National Action Plan – and will continue at full pace to wipe out foreign-sponsored terrorism from the country, security officials said.
