QUETTA: Security forces killed 12 militants in an intelligence-based operation in Kalat district of Balochistan on Sept. 2, targeting a suspected hideout linked to the Indian-backed group Fitna al-Hindustan, according to a military statement.
The operation was launched after security forces received intelligence about the presence of militants in the area. Troops identified and monitored the suspected hideout before carrying out a targeted raid, the statement said.
All 12 militants were killed during the operation, according to the military. Security forces also recovered and destroyed a cache of ammunition and improvised explosive devices at the site.
The military did not provide the identities of those killed or additional details about the group’s alleged links. The claim of Indian sponsorship could not be independently verified.
Follow-up sanitization operations were underway in the area to locate any remaining militants and eliminate potential threats, the statement said.
The operation is part of Pakistan’s broader counterterrorism campaign under “Azm-e-Istehkam,” an initiative approved by the Federal Apex Committee under the National Action Plan.
Pakistan has repeatedly vowed to intensify operations against militant groups it says are backed or supported by foreign actors. Security forces and law enforcement agencies are expected to continue operations aimed at curbing militant activity and preventing further attacks across the country.
The military said the counterterrorism campaign would continue at full pace to eliminate what it described as the threat of foreign-sponsored terrorism.
