ISPR says forces have intensified operations in Balochistan, further tightening the noose around terror networks.
Six terrorists were killed and several more arrested, including male and female suicide bombers, on Thursday during an intelligence-based operation (IBO) carried out by security forces in Khad Kocha area of Balochistan’s Mastung district, according to state media.
The intelligence-led operations are part of the recently launched Operation Shaban, a joint operation of Pakistan Army, Frontier Corps (FC) and Balochistan Police, launched after the terror attack on Mangi Dam Police Station and still ongoing.
administered by the state Pakistan Television (PAY TV) reported, citing Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), that the terrorists belonged to the Indian proxy group Fitna al-Hindustan, while among those detained there were alleged facilitators and suicide bombers, men and women.
“Multiple terrorist hideouts were destroyed, while a large cache of arms and ammunition was recovered,” he added.
The ISPR said security forces had intensified operations in Balochistan, further tightening the noose around terror networks in the province.
Fitna al-Hindustan is the term used by the state for terrorists belonging to the banned Balochistan Liberation Army and other groups in the province.
Security forces killed six terrorists during an intelligence operation in Khad Kocha, Mastung, Balochistan, according to ISPR.
Several others, including male and female facilitators and suicide bombers, were arrested. Multiple terrorist hideouts were destroyed, while… pic.twitter.com/yxDOtV69Yd– Pakistan Television (@PakTVGlobal) July 23, 2026
Home Minister Mohsin Naqvi praised the “bravery and professional capabilities” of the security forces and said they had foiled the terrorists’ nefarious plans.
He said the achievements of security forces in maintaining peace in Balochistan were commendable.
“The nation stands shoulder to shoulder with the security forces for the complete elimination of the threat of Fitna al-Hindustan“he added.
On the same day, a district and sessions judge and his security guard were killed after unidentified gunmen opened fire on their vehicle on the national highway in Mastung, while another sessions judge and another person suffered serious injuries.
Following the attack, security and law enforcement forces cordoned off the area, launched a search operation and set up checkpoints at several locations to apprehend the attackers.
A day earlier, security forces killed 10 terrorists and detained two female suicide bombers and a facilitator during multiple intelligence-based operations in Balochistan.
UN Security Council confirms increase in TTP attacks from Afghanistan
Terrorism has increased significantly in Pakistan, particularly in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa 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).
Read more: Three more terrorists killed in ongoing Operation Shaban: security sources
“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.
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.
