RAWALPINDI:
Pakistan’s security forces have killed 17 terrorists during a series of intelligence-based operations (IBOs) conducted across multiple districts of Balochistan following the May 24 train incident, according to the military’s media wing.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said the operations were carried out in Mastung, Nushki, Zehri, Khuzdar and Ketch districts as part of an intensified counterterrorism response.
The statement said security forces effectively engaged multiple terrorist hideouts during the operation.
“Following intense and fierce exchanges of fire, seventeen terrorists belonging to Indian-sponsored Fitna al-Hindustan have been sent to hell,” the ISPR said, adding that the operations dealt a significant blow to terrorist networks operating in these areas.
According to the military, a large cache of weapons, ammunition, explosives and prepared improvised explosive devices (IEDs) was also recovered from the killed terrorists.
The statement noted that the individuals were actively involved in numerous terrorism-related activities in the region. The ISPR further said that sanitisation operations are ongoing to eliminate any remaining terrorists in the affected districts.
It reiterated that Pakistan’s security forces, along with law enforcement agencies, remain committed to continuing counterterrorism efforts under the “Azm-e-Istehkam” campaign.
The campaign, approved by the Federal Apex Committee under the National Action Plan, aims to eradicate foreign-sponsored militancy and restore lasting peace in the country.
“The relentless counterterrorism campaign will continue at full pace to wipe out the menace of foreign-sponsored and supported terrorism from Pakistan,” the statement concluded.
On May 24, a powerful explosion ripped through a passenger shuttle train near Chaman Phatak in Quetta, killing at least 14 people, including three Frontier Corps (FC) personnel, and injuring 20 others.
The blast occurred shortly after 8am when the train was travelling from Quetta Cantonment Railway Station towards the city railway station.
Officials said the explosion caused widespread devastation, badly damaging train compartments, nearby vehicles and surrounding houses, while scenes of panic and grief unfolded across the area.
Women and children were among the injured, many of whom were shifted to hospitals in emergency conditions. In an official statement, the Balochistan Home Department confirmed that a Vehicle-Borne Suicide Bomber (VBSB) targeted the shuttle train service near Chaman Phatak.
According to AFP, the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), a banned terrorist group, claimed responsibility for the attack. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif condemned the bombing as a “cowardly” act of terrorism and vowed that such attacks would not weaken the resolve of the Pakistani people.
