BALOCHISTAN: Three terrorists linked to the banned militant group Daesh (Islamic State) were killed in a shootout with the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) in Balochistan’s Mastung district, officials confirmed on Monday.
According to a CTD Balochistan spokesperson, the operation targeted a high-value suspect who was already in custody for his involvement in a child kidnapping and murder case. He was being taken to identify a militant hideout in Dasht, near Mastung, when the team came under fire from armed terrorists inside the compound.
In the exchange of fire, the detained suspect was accidentally killed by his own accomplices, and two additional armed militants were also neutralised on the spot. The suspects were reportedly involved in fundraising, targeted killings, extortion, and child abductions to finance militant operations across the province.
The CTD recovered a cache of weapons, explosives, communication equipment, and extremist material from the site. A First Information Report (FIR) is being registered at the CTD Quetta Police Station, and follow-up raids are being planned in the Dasht and Spilinji areas to track down more members of the cell.
This comes as Pakistan continues to face a resurgence in terrorism, particularly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, after the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) ended its ceasefire in late 2022. According to the Global Terrorism Index 2025, Pakistan ranks second globally, with terrorism-related deaths up by 45% in the past year.
Just last week, a Balochistan Constabulary DSP and a police constable were martyred in Mastung when unknown gunmen attacked their vehicle. In response to rising violence, security forces have intensified operations, killing five terrorists in Duki and four more in Kalat in recent days.