Terrorists Killed in Balochistan: Eight Neutralised Near Kolpur, Says ISPR

The military on Saturday confirmed eight terrorists killed in Balochistan during an overnight operation near Kolpur, including a suicide bomber.

The Inter-Services Public Relations released details of operations in two provinces. In Balochistan, the fighting centred on Kolpur, Kardagap and Nushki. Across both provinces, the military reported 24 militants killed and four soldiers martyred on Saturday.

Terrorists killed in Balochistan during the Kolpur operation

According to the ISPR, security forces have been conducting multiple intelligence-based operations since Friday. They include area domination and patrolling of the Quetta-Taftan National Highway, known as the N-40. The patrols aim to keep the highway secure for local traffic.

On the night between Friday and Saturday, troops engaged a group of militants near Kolpur. The ISPR said eight terrorists of Fitna al Hindustan, including a suicide bomber, were neutralised. A large cache of weapons and ammunition was recovered from the site. The latest terrorists killed in Balochistan belonged to the group the state calls Fitna al Hindustan, or FAH.

Pakistani authorities use the term Fitna al Hindustan for Baloch separatist groups they accuse of Indian support. India has repeatedly denied supporting militancy in Pakistan.

Quadcopter attack martyrs Major Omer and Havildar Adnan

The operations came at a heavy cost on Saturday. The ISPR said FAH terrorists targeted military vehicles on patrol with armed quadcopters. Major Omer Minhas Nasir, a resident of Chakwal district, embraced martyrdom in the attack. Havildar Muhammad Adnan Khan, a resident of Kotli Sattian, was also martyred.

Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar condemned the attack in a post on X, calling it a cowardly drone strike on a military convoy in the Kardagap area. Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi also paid tribute to the martyrs.

"This cowardly act has not shaken the resolve of the security forces," the ISPR said. It said the tempo of operations would be maintained with the same vigour. Clearance operations, it added, would continue until the threat is completely neutralised. The military said FAH is increasingly using drones and improvised explosive devices against civilians and security forces.

The ISPR said the counter-terrorism campaign would continue under Azm-e-Istehkam. It is the national counter-terrorism vision approved under the National Action Plan. The ISPR says the campaign behind the terrorists killed in Balochistan this week will continue at full pace.

Sixteen terrorists killed in North Waziristan operations

Earlier on Saturday, the ISPR reported similar operations in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Security forces engaged militant locations in Mir Ali, Datta Khel and surrounding areas of North Waziristan over the past 12 hours.

Twelve terrorists were killed in Ali Khel after an intense exchange of fire. Two of those killed in Ali Khel were Afghan nationals, the ISPR said. Two terrorists each were killed in Mir Ali and Datta Khel. The military identified them as members of Fitna al Khawarij. That is the term the state uses for the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan.

Two soldiers were martyred during the North Waziristan engagements. They were Havildar Asmat Ali, 43, a resident of Swabi district, and Naik Aftab Ali, 32, from Mardan district. The ISPR said both men fought gallantly before making the ultimate sacrifice. Weapons were recovered, and sanitisation operations are continuing in the area.

Together, the terrorists killed in Balochistan and the 16 killed in North Waziristan took Saturday's reported militant toll to 24.

Terrorists killed in Balochistan and KP since 3 November

Saturday's operations are part of a wider campaign across both western provinces. On Friday, the military said 74 terrorists had been killed in operations in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa since 3 November. Saturday's eight were in addition to the terrorists killed in Balochistan and KP counted in that Friday figure.

The Kolpur operations followed a violent week in the province. On Thursday, security forces foiled an attack on the Kandawa Post in Mastung district, killing three terrorists. Two civilians were martyred in that attack and several others were injured, including three Frontier Corps personnel. Local media also reported attacks on security posts in Nushki on Friday. No casualty figures were reported from the Nushki attacks.

President Asif Ali Zardari paid tribute to the security forces for the successful operations. He commended them for the terrorists killed in Balochistan during the Kolpur operation and praised their professionalism. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also paid tribute to the martyrs. "The entire nation salutes the everlasting sacrifices of its martyrs," the Prime Minister's Office said.

Militant attacks in Pakistan have risen every year since 2022, according to the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data project, cited by The Express Tribune. For residents along the Quetta-Taftan highway, the patrols are meant to keep daily travel open and safe.

How many terrorists killed in Balochistan were reported on Saturday?

The ISPR said eight terrorists were killed near Kolpur on the night between Friday and Saturday. The group included a suicide bomber. The eight terrorists killed in Balochistan belonged to Fitna al Hindustan, according to the military. Reports of terrorists killed in Balochistan have come in almost daily during the current campaign.

Who were the soldiers martyred in the Balochistan operations?

Major Omer Minhas Nasir of Chakwal district and Havildar Muhammad Adnan Khan of Kotli Sattian were martyred. They were killed when terrorists targeted patrolling military vehicles with armed quadcopters on Saturday. Their deaths were among four soldiers martyred across the two provinces that day.

What happened in North Waziristan?

Security forces killed 16 terrorists in North Waziristan over 12 hours, the ISPR said. Twelve died in Ali Khel, including two Afghan nationals. Two each were killed in Mir Ali and Datta Khel. Havildar Asmat Ali and Naik Aftab Ali were martyred in the fighting. The day's full toll combined the terrorists killed in Balochistan with the North Waziristan figure.

How many terrorists have been killed since 3 November?

On Friday, the military put the toll since 3 November at 74 across both provinces. Saturday's operations added a further 24 reported militant deaths.

What is Fitna al Hindustan?

Fitna al Hindustan is the term Pakistani authorities use for Baloch separatist militant groups. The military accuses the groups of Indian backing and financing. New Delhi has repeatedly denied those allegations. The terrorists killed in Balochistan this week were identified by the ISPR as members of this network.