Operation Shabaan death toll rises as 43 terrorists killed in Balochistan

ISLAMABAD: Security forces have killed 17 more terrorists during the ongoing Operation Shabaan in Balochistan, raising the total number of militants killed in the operation to 43, security sources said on Friday.

The joint counterterrorism operation, involving the Pakistan Army, Frontier Corps (FC) and Balochistan Police, was launched after the deadly terrorist assault on the Mangi Dam Police Station in Ziarat and continues across the province's mountainous terrain.

According to security sources, forces tightened the cordon around militant hideouts over the past 24 hours, with ground troops and aerial assets targeting terrorists in multiple engagements.

The latest operations resulted in the killing of 17 terrorists, while several others were reported injured.

Security sources said an attack on the Zehri police station in Khuzdar was also foiled on Friday after security forces swiftly responded to the assault. Eight terrorists were confirmed killed during the initial engagement, while helicopter gunship operations reportedly eliminated another five to six militants. Subsequent ground operations accounted for four more terrorist fatalities.

Officials said 26 terrorists had already been killed during operations conducted on July 6 and 7, while a total of 79 militants had been eliminated since July 5 under Operation Shabaan and other intelligence-based operations in the province.

The operation was launched after terrorists ambushed police personnel in the Kach Mangi Phase-III area of Ziarat on Tuesday, triggering hours-long gun battles that claimed the lives of nine police officers, including two station house officers. Several civilians and police personnel were also abducted during the attack.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and President Asif Ali Zardari commended the Pakistan Army, FC and Balochistan Police for the progress of Operation Shabaan, praising the forces' professionalism and resolve in combating terrorism.

The prime minister said the operation reflected the security forces' high level of operational capability and reaffirmed the government's commitment to eliminating terrorism and restoring lasting peace in Balochistan.

President Zardari also paid tribute to the security forces, stating that Pakistan's defenders were fully capable of countering every threat and that hostile designs against the country would be defeated.

Balochistan Chief Minister Mir Sarfraz Bugti also hailed the ongoing operation, saying the state's writ would be maintained at all costs and terrorists would be brought to justice.

Balochistan has witnessed a surge in terrorist violence in recent days. On Tuesday, an attack on an army convoy in Bela's Winder area left 11 soldiers, including a junior commissioned officer, martyred, while the assault on the Mangi Dam Police Station resulted in the martyrdom of several police personnel before security forces launched large-scale retaliatory operations across the province.