February 18, 2026
CTD raids in Quetta and Barkhan foil planned attacks, eliminate 14 terrorists
February 18, 2026
QUETTA: Security forces carried out coordinated counter-terrorism operations in Quetta and Barkhan on Wednesday, resulting in the deaths of 14 suspected terrorists linked to banned organizations, officials said.
In Quetta’s Darakhshan area, the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) conducted a targeted raid based on actionable intelligence about armed militants. Eight terrorists opened fire during the operation, prompting an intense exchange. All were confirmed to belong to a banned organization involved in attacks on civilians and government installations.
Authorities recovered a large cache of weapons from the site. Three CTD personnel were injured and shifted to a local hospital; their condition was reported stable.
Simultaneously, operations in Rakhni, Barkhan district, killed six terrorists. Weapons and explosives were seized, preventing potential attacks on police stations, customs posts, and civilians. Officials said all security personnel remained safe during the Barkhan operation.
The CTD emphasized that the raids were part of ongoing counter-terrorism efforts in Balochistan to ensure public safety and maintain law and order.
Separately, in Dera Ismail Khan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, a policeman was killed and two customs officials injured when unidentified attackers struck the York police station. Police returned fire, repelling the assailants, who also targeted a nearby customs check post. Authorities have launched a comprehensive search operation in the area.
These operations follow a spate of attacks in Balochistan in late January and the conclusion of “Operation Radd-ul-Fitna-1” on February 5, in which security forces killed 216 terrorists, arrested around 180 suspects, and seized significant quantities of arms and ammunition, according to the Inter-Services Public Relations.
Officials reaffirmed the state’s commitment to continue intelligence-based counter-terrorism operations to dismantle militant networks and prevent attacks across the province.
