Balochistan – Security forces carried out multiple operations across Balochistan on Wednesday, killing at least 14 militants, as the province reels from a deadly suicide bombing in Quetta a day earlier.
In Qalat district’s Manguchar tehsil, four militants belonging to the banned Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) were killed in an exchange of fire, with their bodies later recovered by security personnel.
Meanwhile, the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) reported killing at least ten terrorists during an intelligence-based operation in Quetta’s Aghbarg area. Officials said the militants opened fire on the CTD team, which retaliated promptly.
Recovered weapons included AK-47 rifles, rocket launchers, grenades, machine guns, and a large cache of ammunition allegedly intended for future attacks. The slain militants have not yet been identified and their bodies have been shifted to a hospital. The CTD confirmed the operation was conducted in coordination with the Frontier Corps (FC), Pakistan Army, and other law enforcement agencies.
Separately, the Pakistan military’s media wing, ISPR, said security forces conducted another successful operation in Khuzdar district, apprehending four militants disguised in women’s attire while trying to flee.
Quetta FC Suicide Blast
The crackdown follows Tuesday’s suicide car bombing near the Frontier Corps headquarters in Quetta that left at least 11 people dead, including four security personnel, and more than 30 injured. The bomber rammed an explosive-laden van into barriers outside the Hali Road entrance of the FC headquarters, triggering a fierce gun battle in which four more attackers were killed.
The Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) claimed responsibility through its Al Farooq Brigade, saying the FC office was the intended target. The blast destroyed nearby security posts, damaged government offices, and media centers.
The attack drew strong condemnation from the country’s leadership, though their statements reflected differing narratives. President Asif Ali Zardari described the perpetrators as members of “Fitna al-Khawarij,” a reference to banned TTP militants, while Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif praised security forces for eliminating “Fitna al-Hindustan” terrorists, a term used for India-backed Balochistan militant groups.
Balochistan Chief Minister Mir Sarfraz Bugti also condemned the violence, saying: “The terrorists cannot weaken the nation’s resolve through cowardly acts. The sacrifices of the people and security forces will not go in vain. We remain committed to making Balochistan peaceful and secure.”
International Condemnation
The United States Embassy in Islamabad condemned the Quetta attack, calling it a “heinous act” and reaffirming solidarity with Pakistan in its fight against terrorism.
The Embassy of Russia in Pakistan also denounced the violence, stressing the need to combat terrorism “in all its forms” and expressing condolences to victims’ families.
Analysts warn that the back-to-back militant attacks and retaliatory operations highlight Balochistan’s fragile security environment. TTP-linked groups and Balochistan-based militant outfits, allegedly supported by foreign actors, continue to challenge state authority.
The resurgence of militancy has intensified the necessity, and legitimacy, of swift military operations in both Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to prevent further escalation.
