ISPR says forces have intensified operations in Balochistan, further tightening noose around terror networks
Six terrorists were killed and several others arrested, including male and female suicide bombers, on Thursday during an Intelligence Operation (IBO) carried out by security forces in Khad Kocha area of Mastung district of Balochistan, according to state media.
The intelligence-led operations are part of the recently launched Operation Shaban, a joint operation of the Pakistan Army, Frontier Corps (FC) and Balochistan Police, launched in the wake of the terrorist attack on the Mangi Dam police station and which is ongoing.
State-run Pakistani television (PTV) reported, citing the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), that the terrorists belonged to the Indian proxy group Fitna al-Hindustan, while those arrested included suspected facilitators as well as male and female suicide bombers.
“Several terrorist hideouts were destroyed, while a large cache of weapons and ammunition was recovered,” the statement added.
The ISPR said security forces have intensified operations in Balochistan, further tightening the noose around terrorist networks in the province.
Fitna al-Hindustan is the state’s term for terrorists belonging to the outlawed 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 other people, including male and female facilitators and suicide bombers, were arrested. Several terrorist hideouts were destroyed, while a… pic.twitter.com/yxDOtV69Yd– Pakistan Television (@PakTVGlobal) July 23, 2026
Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi praised the “courage and professional capabilities” of the security forces, saying they had foiled the nefarious plans of the terrorists.
He said the achievements of security forces in maintaining peace in Balochistan were commendable.
“The nation stands with the security forces for the complete elimination of the menace of Fitna al-Hindustan“, he added.
Earlier in the day, a district judge and a 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 were seriously injured.
After the attack, security and law enforcement forces cordoned off the area, launched a search operation and established checkpoints at various locations to apprehend the attackers.
A day earlier, security forces had killed 10 terrorists and apprehended two suicide bombers and a facilitator during several intelligence operations in 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).
Learn more: Three more terrorists killed in ongoing Shaban operation, security sources say
“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.
He further pointed out that various groups in Afghanistan had acquired modern weapons and equipment through cross-border smuggling and the 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 UN Taliban Sanctions Committee’s annual monitoring team report of 1988 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.
