ISPR says forces have intensified operations in Balochistan, further tightening the noose around terror networks
Six terrorists were killed and several others arrested, including male and female suicide bombers, on Thursday during an intelligence-based operation (IBO) conducted by security forces in the Khad Kocha area of Balochistan’s Mastung district, according to state media.
The intelligence-based operations are part of the recently launched Operation Shaban, a joint operation by Pakistan Army, Frontier Corps (FC) and Balochistan Police that was launched in the wake of the terrorist attack on Mangi Dam police station and is still ongoing.
State-run Pakistan Television (PTV) reported, citing the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), that the terrorists belonged to the Indian proxy group Fitna al-Hindustan, while those detained included alleged facilitators as well as male and female suicide bombers.
“Several hideouts of terrorists were destroyed while a large cache of arms and ammunition was recovered,” it 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 the state uses for terrorists belonging to the outlawed Balochistan Liberation Army and other groups in the province.
Security forces have killed six terrorists during an intelligence-based operation in Khad Kocha, Mastung, Balochistan, according to ISPR.
Several others, including facilitators and male and female suicide bombers, were arrested. Several terrorist hideouts were destroyed, while a… pic.twitter.com/yxDOtV69Yd— Pakistan TV (@PakTVGlobal) July 23, 2026
Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi lauded the “bravery and professional capacity” of the security forces and said they had thwarted the dastardly plans of the terrorists.
He said the achievements of the security forces in maintaining peace in Balochistan were commendable.
“The nation stands shoulder to shoulder with security forces for complete elimination of the menace from Fitna al-Hindustan” he added.
Earlier in the 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 an additional Sessions Judge and another person sustained serious injuries.
Following the attack, security forces and law enforcement agencies cordoned off the area, launched a search operation and set up checkpoints at various locations to nab the attackers
A day earlier, security forces killed 10 terrorists and arrested two female suicide bombers and a facilitator during several intelligence-based operations in Balochistan.
UNSC confirms increase in TTP attacks from Afghanistan
Terrorism has increased significantly in Pakistan, especially in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, in recent days. The increase in terrorist activity has led to growing concern over the security situation in these regions. In response, security forces have carried out intensive operations to counter the threat, targeting terrorist groups.
The United Nations Security Council (UNSC), in a report released in February, also drew attention to a series of attacks by the outlawed Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) against 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 16 September 2025, the BLA ambushed a Pakistani military convoy patrolling the corridor, killing 32 soldiers. While counter-terrorism operations by Pakistan limited the BLA’s operational space, it remained active”.
The report added that some member states reported that the BLA cooperated with the TTP and ISIL-K through shared training camps and resources, coordination of attacks and meetings between commanders. Some member states assessed that there was neither an association nor growing ties between the BLA and Al Qaeda or ISIL.
It further highlighted that various groups in Afghanistan had acquired modern weapons and equipment through cross-border smuggling and black market trade. “The TTP used advanced assault rifles, night vision equipment, thermal imaging equipment, sniper systems and drone strike systems. Most of these were provided by the de facto authorities in connection with weapons permits and travel documents,” it said.
In August 2025, the UN’s 1988 Taliban Sanctions Committee Monitoring Team Annual Report said that outlawed terrorist groups – the BLA, including its Majeed Brigade, and the TTP had “close coordination”.
The UNSC report said that “some BLA attacks showed a high degree of complexity and brutality”, referring to the hijacking of the Jaffar Express in Balochistan on 11 March 2025, which killed 31 people, including 21 hostages.
