Over 71 terrorists killed in Balochistan over last 96 hours: ISPR

Military’s media wing says weapons, ammunition and explosives were also recovered during the operation

Security forces have killed more than 71 terrorists in Operation Shaban and other areas of Balochistan over the last 96 hours, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said on Sunday.

According to the military’s media wing, "as the Army’s operation progresses, more than 71 terrorists have been killed so far in Operation Shaban and other areas of Balochistan in the last 96 hours, delivering a serious blow to Indian-backed Afghan proxies."

The statement further added that the operation was launched following credible intelligence about multiple hideouts of Indian-sponsored Fitna Al-Khawarij and Fitna Al-Hindustan terrorists in the general area of Shaban in Quetta district, which posed a threat to the local population.

The state uses the term Fitna Al-Khawarij for terrorists affiliated with the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, while Fitna Al-Hindustan refers to banned outfits sponsored by India in Balochistan.

"Security forces launched a swift operation in Ziarat and surrounding areas on September 21. During the operation, troops engaged the terrorists and cleared multiple hideouts. Following intense exchanges of fire, 33 Indian-sponsored terrorists were killed, while a significant quantity of weapons, ammunition and explosives was also recovered," the ISPR said.

According to the ISPR, over the past 72 hours, the operation was further intensified, resulting in the killing of 23 terrorists. Security forces cleared a vast area and relieved local communities of the threat posed by Fitna Al-Khawarij and Fitna Al-Hindustan.

Read: Security forces eliminate 16 Indian-sponsored terrorists in Balochistan IBOs: ISPR

"The clearance operation is continuing until complete neutralisation of the threat," it said.

In a separate intelligence-based operation in Nushki district on September 25, security forces engaged a terrorist hideout and killed 11 Indian-sponsored terrorists. In another operation in Mand, six Fitna Al-Hindustan terrorists were killed, while a large quantity of weapons and ammunition was recovered, the ISPR said.

The ISPR also said that the involvement of the Afghan Taliban regime in terrorist activities in Pakistan, backed and sponsored by India, continued to cause loss of precious lives and threaten peace and stability.

“The counter-terrorism campaign under the vision of "Azm-e-Istehkam," approved by the Federal Apex Committee on the National Action Plan, will continue with full resolve,” it said.

“Security Forces and Law Enforcement Agencies remain committed to eliminating foreign-sponsored and supported terrorism from the country,” the ISPR added.

Read more: Security forces kill one terrorist in Balochistan's Kech

The development came two days after security forces killed 16 terrorists in two separate intelligence-based operations in Balochistan on September 24 and 25, according to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR).

Five terrorists were killed during an operation in the Shaban area on September 24, taking the number killed in the ongoing Operation Shaban to 22 at the time, the military’s media wing said. Weapons, ammunition and explosives were also recovered from the hideouts, while the clearance operation was to continue until the “complete neutralisation of threat from the area”.

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. Still, despite these efforts, the groups have continued to target civilian and defence installations.

Last month, in another such attack, 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.