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Pakistan's security forces say they have killed 109 terrorists in Balochistan, including 71 in Operation Shaban. The week-long crackdown underlines rising unrest in the province after a deadly attack on a Quetta police post.
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Islamabad,UPDATED: Jul 12, 2026 20:06 IST
More than 105 terrorists have been killed in Pakistan’s restive Balochistan province over the past week, with 71 of them killed since Operation Shaban was launched on July 7, defence officials said on Sunday.
Officials said the operation was launched after a series of attacks in which several security personnel were killed earlier in the week. Balochistan, which has seen unrest for about two decades, has witnessed a recent rise in violence by ethnic Baloch rebels and Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan militants targeting security forces.
Official sources said 109 terrorists have been killed since July 5, including 71 in Operation Shaban, which is being carried out jointly by the Pakistan Army, Frontier Corps and Balochistan Police.
The operation, codenamed Operation Shaban, began on July 7 and is focused on the Shaban areas of Quetta district. It followed the July 5 attack on a police post at the Mangi dam pumping station, which supplies water to Balochistan capital Quetta and nearby areas, in which 27 police officials were killed.
Defence officials said at least seven more terrorists were killed in the last 24 hours in the ongoing operation, taking the number of rebels killed in Operation Shaban to 71.
Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi praised the security forces, the Frontier Corps and the police after the killing of the seven terrorists. “The action by the Pakistan Army, FC and police is reflective of the protection of national security. There is no place for terrorist elements in Pakistan,” he was quoted as saying by his ministry.
He added that the nation stood with the security forces and that action against terrorists would continue.
Balochistan has been in the grip of violence targeting security forces, with local ethnic Baloch groups and parties alleging that the federal government has been exploiting the mineral wealth of the country’s largest but sparsely populated province.
In all, officials said more than 105 terrorists were killed in Balochistan in a week, including 71 since the launch of Operation Shaban, as security forces continued operations in the province.
With PTI Inputs
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Published By:
India Today Web Desk
Published On:
Jul 12, 2026 20:06 IST
