Four more terrorists killed in ongoing Operation Shaban: security sources

Four more terrorists were killed on Tuesday during the ongoing Operation Shaban, taking the total number of terrorists killed in the operation to 83 across Balochistan since July 5, security sources said.

The joint operation by Pakistan Army, Frontier Corps (FC) and Balochistan Police was launched after the terror attack on Mangi Dam Police Station and is still ongoing, with forces intensifying action against terrorists belonging to Fitna al-Khawarij across the province.

Fitna al-Khawarij is the term that the State uses to refer to terrorists belonging to the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).

Terrorists ambushed police personnel deployed in Kach Mangi Phase III area of ​​Ziarat last Tuesday, leading to gun battles that lasted for hours and left nine police personnel, including two police station officers, dead. The attackers also kidnapped several civilians and police officers after the assault. Subsequently, the army launched a series of anti-terror operations across Balochistan.

According to security sources, the forces were attacking the terrorists through air and ground operations, and effective action was causing heavy losses to the terrorist groups.

“Pakistan Army, Balochistan Frontier Corps and police are continuing their joint Operation Shaban in Balochistan, with security forces carrying out effective operations against Fitna al-Khawarij in the area,” a security source said.

Security sources said that since July 5, a total of 121 Kharjis had been killed in Operation Shaban and other intelligence-based operations (IBOs).

“Operation Shaban will continue in Balochistan until the last terrorist is eliminated,” security sources said.

Lauding the security forces for fresh successes during Operation Shaban in Balochistan, Home Minister Mohsin Naqvi said that the extraordinary successes in the joint operation of Pakistan Army, FC Balochistan and police were commendable.

Naqvi said: “The nation viewed with appreciation the effective operations of the security forces against the terrorists of Fitna Al-Hindustan”.

“The security forces thwarted the impure intentions of the terrorists of Fitna Al-Hindustan. In the timely operations of the security forces, four more terrorists were sent to hell,” he added.

“The joint operations of the forces will continue till the elimination of the terrorists. The entire nation stands shoulder to shoulder with its brave soldiers engaged in the fight against the scourge of terrorism,” Naqvi added.

UN Security Council confirms increase in TTP attacks from Afghanistan

Terrorism has increased significantly in Pakistan, particularly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and Balochistan, in recent days. The rise in terrorist activity has raised growing concerns about the security situation in these regions. In response, security forces have been carrying out intensive operations to counter the threat, targeting terrorist groups.

The United Nations Security Council (UNSC), in a report published in February, also drew attention to a series of attacks by the banned Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) on Pakistani security forces and projects linked to the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

“On September 16, 2025, the BLA ambushed a Pakistani military convoy patrolling the corridor, killing 32 soldiers. Although Pakistan’s counterterrorism operations restricted the BLA’s operational space, it remained active.”

The report added that some member states reported that the BLA collaborated with the TTP and ISIL-K through training camps and shared resources, coordinating attacks and meetings between commanders. Some Member States assessed that there was no association or growing links between the BLA and Al Qaeda or ISIL.

Read: Four more terrorists killed in Shabaan operation: security sources

He further highlighted that several groups in Afghanistan had acquired modern weapons and equipment through cross-border smuggling and black market trade. “TTP used advanced assault rifles, night vision devices, thermal imaging devices, sniper systems and drone strike systems. Most of these were provided by de facto authorities along with weapons permits and travel documents,” he said.

In August 2025, the annual report of the follow-up team of the UN’s 1988 Taliban sanctions committee said that the illegal terrorist groups: BLA, including its Majeed Brigade, and TTP had “close coordination”.

The UN Security Council report states that “some BLA attacks showed a high degree of complexity and brutality”, citing the hijacking of the Jaffar Express in Balochistan on March 11, 2025, in which 31 people were killed, including 21 hostages.