13 more militants killed in Operation Shaban in Balochistan, security sources say

QUETTA: Thirteen more militants were killed in the past 24 hours during the ongoing Operation Shaban in Balochistan, according to security sources, taking the number of militants killed in the operation to 39.

Security sources said the operation was launched after the attack on the Mangi Dam police station and is being conducted jointly by the Pakistan Army, Frontier Corps and Balochistan Police.

Mangi checkpoint attack

Inter-Services Public Relations Director General Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry had said on Wednesday that India-backed militants attacked the checkpoint, but police personnel put up resistance and killed 15 militants in the initial exchange.

He had said nine police personnel were martyred in the first clash and that the assailants had taken police personnel hostage before security forces arrived in the area. Explaining the subsequent operation, he said security forces tightened the cordon carefully because hostages were involved.

Lt Gen Chaudhry had said security forces had remained engaged with the militants in the mountains of Ziarat since July 6.

“When the terrorists realised the cordon had tightened, these cowards martyred 18 police personnel”, he stated.

According to the military spokesperson, 27 police personnel were martyred in the Mangi checkpoint attack, while 26 militants were killed in that operation.

Khuzdar attack repelled

Security sources said an attack on a police station in Khuzdar was also repulsed. They said Pakistan Army and Frontier Corps troops launched an operation in response, and reports indicated that eight militants were killed.

The same sources said that since July 5, a total of 75 militants had been killed in Operation Shaban and other intelligence-based operations. Separately, they also reported that five to six militants were killed in helicopter operations.