QUETTA: At least 11 militants were killed in separate operations carried out in Chagai and Sibi districts over the past 24 hours, while two police constables and a security official were martyred in Noshki and Kachhi, respectively, officials said on Wednesday.
According to security officials, forces launched an intelligence-based operation in the mountainous region of Dalbandin, Chagai, after receiving reports about the presence of militants. As troops surrounded the area, they came under heavy gunfire, sparking a fierce hour-long gun battle that left six militants dead.
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Officials said the slain men belonged to the Fitna al-Hindustan group and were detected through aerial reconnaissance. Arms and ammunition were recovered from their hideout. The operation, they added, helped reduce threats to both security forces and local residents in the vicinity.
In a separate operation, the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) acted on intelligence regarding the presence of militants in Sibi. CTD personnel surrounded a compound where suspects were holed up, leading to an exchange of fire that lasted more than an hour and resulted in the killing of five militants.
Officials said the slain men were members of a banned outfit involved in previous attacks on security forces, police, and Levies. Arms, ammunition, and documents detailing attack plans were seized from the compound.
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Meanwhile, in Noshki, two police constables, identified as Abdul Razzaq and Obaid Ullah, were martyred when unidentified assailants opened fire on them near the Gharibabad western bypass. The attackers, riding motorbikes, fled the scene after the assault. Police shifted the bodies to a local hospital and launched an investigation.
In another tragic incident in Kachhi’s Sanni Shoran area, a security personnel was martyred when a landmine exploded as a patrol vehicle passed by, also damaging the vehicle. Authorities have stepped up operations across Balochistan to curb militant activity amid renewed security threats in the province.