Security forces kill 32 terrorists in KP, Balochistan operations: ISPR

Security forces killed 32 terrorists, including 24 in Khyber district of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and eight in Nushki district of Balochistan, in two separate intelligence-led operations, the Army’s media wing said on Wednesday.

The intelligence operations were launched following the terrorist attacks in the region. Earlier, security forces launched Operation Shaban after terrorists attacked the Mangi Dam police station. A district and sessions judge and his security guard were also killed after unidentified gunmen opened fire on their vehicle on the national highway in Mastung, while another sessions judge and another person were seriously injured.

According to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the operations were carried out “in continuation of security forces’ operations against the Indian-sponsored terrorist network”. Fitna al-Khawarij And Fitna al-Hindustan“, as part of a broader anti-terrorism campaign.

Fitna al-Hindustan is the term the state uses for terrorists belonging to the banned Balochistan Liberation Army and other groups in Balochistan. While Fitna al-Khawarij is the state-designated term for the outlawed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).

The ISPR said “extensive joint operations are being carried out in different parts of KP and Balochistan to eliminate terrorists and their enablers”, adding that security forces had “successfully eliminated 32 terrorists” in the last 24 hours.

The army said that on the night of July 28-29, multiple area clearing operations and intelligence-driven targeted operations were carried out in Khyber district, where security forces “effectively engaged different terrorist sites”, killing 24 terrorists identified as belonging to Fitna al-Khawarij.

In a separate operation in Balochistan’s Nushki district, security forces carried out several intelligence-led operations during which, after “intense engagement”, eight terrorists belonging to Fitna al-Hindustan were killed, according to the ISPR.

The army said the weapons, ammunition and improvised explosive devices used by the terrorists were “recovered and destroyed during the operations”.

The ISPR added that disinfection operations were underway to eliminate any other terrorists found in the area. He added that the “relentless anti-terrorism campaign under the vision ‘Azm-e-Istehkam'”, approved by the Supreme Federal Committee on National Action Plan, “will continue in full swing to eliminate the menace of foreign sponsored and supported terrorism from the country.”

President Asif Ali Zardari has paid tribute to security forces and law enforcement agencies for the success of intelligence-led operations, praising their “professional capabilities” in killing 32 terrorists.

The president said Pakistan would “thwart the nefarious designs of India-backed terrorist elements at all costs”, adding that “the nation stands with its brave armed forces”.

In a statement issued by the Prime Minister’s Office, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also congratulated the security forces for the success of their operations. “We will continue the fight against terrorism until this threat is eliminated from the country,” the Prime Minister said.

He added that security forces are “effectively carrying out operations against terrorists seeking to undermine the peace of our beloved homeland.”

“The entire nation, including me, stands with the armed forces of Pakistan in our unwavering resolve to protect the motherland,” the Prime Minister said.

The news comes a day after three people, including a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), were martyred, a truck driver injured, six laborers kidnapped and five trailers along with two gas trucks set ablaze in separate incidents across Balochistan.

UN Security Council confirms increase in TTP attacks from Afghanistan

Terrorism has increased significantly in Pakistan, especially in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, in recent days. The rise in terrorist activities has led to growing concerns about 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 banned Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) against 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. Even though Pakistan-led counterterrorism operations limited the BLA’s operational space, it remained active.”

The report adds 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 considered that there was no association or growing links between the BLA and Al-Qaeda or ISIL.

Also read: Three more terrorists killed in ongoing Shaban operation, security sources say

He further pointed out that various groups in Afghanistan had acquired modern weapons and equipment through cross-border smuggling and black market. “The TTP used advanced assault rifles, night vision devices, thermal imaging devices, sniper systems and drone attack systems. Most of these were provided by the de facto authorities in conjunction with weapons permits and travel documents,” it said.

In August 2025, the 1988 UN Taliban Sanctions Committee Monitoring Team Annual Report stated that the banned terrorist groups – BLA, including its Majeed Brigade, and TTP had “close coordination”.

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