Five terrorists, including key commander, killed in IBO in Balochistan's Panjgur: security sources

Operation was conducted by security forces in the Sarkeni and Chidgi areas following intelligence reports

Five terrorists, including a key commander identified as Wazir, son of Jamal, were killed during an intelligence-based operation in Balochistan's Panjgur district under Operation Rad-ul-Fitna-3, security sources said on Monday. 

The operation was conducted by security forces in the Sarkeni and Chidgi areas of Panjgur following intelligence reports about the presence of Fitna al-Hindustan terrorists, according to the sources.

The federal government last year officially designated all terrorist groups operating in Balochistan as 'Fitna al-Hindustan', accusing India of sponsoring a proxy war through these outfits.

The high-tempo intelligence-driven operations were conducted as part of the ongoing "Rad-ul-Fitna-3" campaign, which the military's media wing has described as a counterterrorism operation aimed at eliminating Indian proxies.

“During the successful operation, five terrorists, including key commander Wazir, son of Jamal, were killed,” the sources said. Security forces also recovered four motorcycles, machine guns, heavy weapons and ammunition from the terrorists during the operation.

According to security sources, the operation was launched after security forces received intelligence about the presence of terrorists in Balochistan's Sarkeni and Chedgi.

The killed terrorists were involved in robbery, extortion, kidnapping and terrorist activities targeting local traders and other civilians in Panjgur, the sources said.

A clearance operation was underway in the area to eliminate any remaining Fitna al-Hindustan terrorists.  Security forces remain committed to completely eliminating the presence of Fitna al-Hindustan terrorists from Balochistan, the security sources concluded. 

On Sunday, security forces killed 15 terrorists in intelligence-based operations across Mastung, Bolan, Washuk, Awaran, Sibi, Khuzdar, Harnai and Noshki under Operation Radd-ul-Fitna-3. A large quantity of weapons and ammunition was also recovered, while the operations significantly disrupted the terrorists’ network and restricted their movement across Balochistan, the sources said.

Also on Thursday, security forces killed 12 terrorists belonging to Fitna al-Hindustan during IBOs in the Washuk and Mastung districts of Balochistan, the military's media wing reported.

Terrorism is a growing problem for Pakistan, with the number of attacks rising every year since 2022, according to Armed Conflict Location & Event Data (ACLED), a global monitoring organisation. Data from ACLED shows attacks in Pakistan rose nearly fourfold to 2,425 in 2025 from 658 in 2022, and over the same period, TTP attacks increased more than sevenfold to 838 from 118.

Although Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa has borne the brunt of terrorism, Balochistan has also remained a major target of Indian proxies, which often target civilians and military installations in the province.

In one such attack on the last day of 2025, terrorists targeted innocent civilians in Balochistan’s Gwadar and Kharan districts, where 18 people, including women, children, the elderly and labourers, embraced martyrdom.

The forces continued operations across the provinces against what the state describes as Indian-sponsored terrorists and their proxies, but despite these efforts, the groups have continued to target civilian and defence installations.

Read More: 12 terrorists killed as forces fight off multiple attacks in Balochistan's Kharan

Earlier this month, at least 30 people, including 27 police personnel, were martyred when terrorists identified by the state as the Indian proxy Fitna al-Hindustan ambushed police personnel deployed in the Kach Mangi Phase III area of Ziarat, triggering hours-long gun battles. The attackers also abducted several civilians and police personnel after the assault.

In the aftermath of the attack, the Pakistan Army, Frontier Corps and Balochistan Police launched a joint operation, which remains underway, with forces intensifying action against terrorists across the province.