QUETTA: Pakistani security forces continued their hunt for militants on Friday, killing multiple terrorists during the ongoing Operation Shaban in the Harnai district of Balochistan, security sources said.
The latest operation destroyed three major terrorist hideouts, including a camp allegedly used jointly by Fitna al Khawarij and Fitna al Hindustan militants to shelter operatives and plan attacks in Harnai and surrounding areas.
During the intensified operation, multiple terrorists were neutralized, the sources said. The latest action has raised the number of militants killed since the launch of Operation Shaban on July 5 to at least 140.
The military launched the operation following a deadly wave of coordinated attacks by Indian-sponsored militants associated with Fitna al Hindustan and Fitna al Khawarij, which left dozens of police personnel, soldiers and civilians dead.
Earlier this month, at least 11 soldiers were martyred in Lasbela district, while 27 policemen lost their lives in Ziarat in a series of coordinated attacks across the province, according to authorities.
Since the launch of the offensive, security forces have conducted a series of intelligence-based and clearance operations across Balochistan targeting militants belonging to the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), referred to as Fitna al Khawarij, and the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), known as Fitna al Hindustan.
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Operation Shaban is being carried out jointly by the Pakistan Army, Frontier Corps (FC) Balochistan and the provincial police to dismantle militant networks and restore security across the province.
