QUETTA: Security forces killed at least 38 militants of the Fitna al Hindustan and Fitna al Khawarij during separate intelligence-based operations in Balochistan after armed groups blocked a key highway and attacked a police station, officials said on Wednesday.
The first operation took place on the N-25 Karachi-Quetta Highway between Jhao Cross and Kararo after security forces received intelligence that militants had set up roadblocks and were looting travelers.
Officials said the militants, whom the Pakistani state refers to as “Fitna al Hindustan,” had stopped vehicles, robbed passengers and extorted money from motorists and local residents.
Security forces launched an operation, triggering a firefight that killed 19 militants, officials said. Several others were wounded.
The military said the operation dealt a major blow to the militant network operating in the area and reaffirmed its commitment to protecting civilians, securing highways and maintaining peace in Balochistan.
In a separate operation in Ziarat district, security forces killed 19 militants belonging to what the state refers to as “Fitna al Khawarij,” officials said.
The operation came a day after militants allegedly attempted to storm a police station in the Mangi area of Ziarat district.
The military’s account could not be independently verified, and there was no immediate comment from the militant groups.
The latest operations underscore the continuing security challenges facing Pakistan’s southwestern Balochistan province, where security forces have intensified intelligence-based operations against militant groups.
