Security forces killed 21 terrorists in separate encounters across Balochistan during the night between Aug. 31 and Sept. 1, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said on Tuesday.
In a statement, the military’s media wing said six personnel, including two officers and a Customs official, embraced martyrdom during the operations.
The first incident, per ISPR, occurred in Nokcha, Chagai District. Terrorists of Fitna al-Hindustan—the state’s designator for the banned Baloch Liberation Army (BLA)—had attempted to disrupt the peaceful movement of commuters along the N-40 Quetta-Taftan Highway by establishing an illegal checkpoint for extortion on Aug. 31.
Security forces responded to the illegal activities and killed 11 terrorists after an intense exchange of fire. A large quantity of weapons, ammunition and explosives was recovered from the slain militants.
The second incident, occurring during the night between Aug. 31 and Sept. 1, saw terrorists of Fitna al-Khawarij—the state’s term for the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan—launching a coordinated attack in an attempt to breach the Customs House in Ziarat Cross, Pishin District. Security forces responded effectively and killed 10 terrorists after an intense exchange of fire, said the ISPR.
The military’s media wing said security forces had engaged fleeing terrorists, inflicting further casualties.
The ISPR said the attack on the Customs House was a manifestation of the terror-crime nexus, orchestrated to prevent customs officials from performing their lawful duties and thereby facilitate the continuation of criminal activities in the area. It said the shootout resulted in six personnel, including two officers and a government official from the Customs Department, embracing martyrdom in the line of duty.
The military’s media wing said sanitization operations were ongoing to eliminate any terrorists remaining in the area, and ensure the safety and security of the local population and vital national highways. It said the relentless counter-terrorism campaign under Vision Azm-e-Istehkam, as approved by the Federal Apex Committee on the National Action Plan, would continue with full resolve. Security forces and law enforcement agencies were committed to eliminating foreign-sponsored terrorism from the country, it added.