Pakistan Security Forces Kill Militants in Balochistan and Bannu

Pakistani security forces killed dozens of militants during a series of counterterrorism campaigns across Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces. In Balochistan, the Pakistan Army, Frontier Corps, and police are conducting Operation Shaban, which utilizes coordinated air and ground strikes against militant hideouts. The operation was launched following a deadly assault on a police post at the Mangi Dam pumping station in Ziarat that killed 27 officers. Reports on the death toll vary, with some sources stating 91 militants were killed specifically in Operation Shaban, while others report a combined total of 129 militants killed across all intelligence-based operations since July 5.

Simultaneously, forces in the Bannu district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa killed 24 militants from the banned group Fitna al-Khawarij over a 24-hour period. These operations, led by the Counter Terrorism Department and local police, included a specific gun battle in the Gulbahar Haved area where five terrorists were killed and significant quantities of weaponry, including Kalashnikov rifles and grenades, were recovered.

Shehbaz Sharif and other government officials have characterized the targeted militants as Indian proxies. Prime Minister Sharif and military leadership have committed to a collective effort to eliminate terrorism, while the government continues to negotiate with protesters in Ziarat demanding justice for the slain police personnel.