By Staff Reporter
ISLAMABAD: Pakistani security forces have killed 47 terrorists, including 14 in a follow-up operation, along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border in Balochistan’s Zhob district, the military said on Saturday, as part of ongoing efforts to curb cross-border militancy linked to the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).
The military’s media wing, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), said in a statement that a “deliberate sanitisation operation” was conducted on the night of August 8-9 in the Sambaza area of Zhob district, near the porous border with Afghanistan. “During the conduct of the operation, 14 more Indian-sponsored khwarij were hunted down and successfully neutralised,” the ISPR said, adding that weapons, ammunition, and explosives were recovered from the militants.
This operation followed intense clashes on August 7-8 in the same area, during which security forces killed 33 terrorists described as belonging to the “Indian proxy Fitna al Khawarij,” a term used by Pakistani authorities to refer to TTP militants. The two-day operation has now resulted in the deaths of 47 militants, the military said.
“The security forces remain committed to secure the nation’s frontiers and thwart attempts at sabotaging peace, stability and progress of Pakistan,” the ISPR statement said.
Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi praised the security forces for their professionalism and swift action. “The nation looks with admiration at the successes of the security forces against the terrorists of the Indian conspiracy. The security forces have brought the Indian-sponsored terrorists involved in spreading chaos in Balochistan to an exemplary end.” Naqvi said in a post on X.
“Security forces, through timely operations, sent 47 terrorists of Fitna al-Hindustan to hell in two days. By taking swift action, they foiled a sinister conspiracy to sabotage peace in Balochistan.”
The term “Fitna al-Hindustan” was introduced by the Pakistani government in May to designate terrorist groups in Balochistan, framing their activities as part of an Indian strategy to destabilise the region. Pakistan has repeatedly accused India of supporting militancy in its border areas, a charge New Delhi denies.
Pakistan has seen a surge in terrorist attacks, particularly in the provinces of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and Balochistan, since the TTP ended its ceasefire with the government in November 2022. The country ranked second in the Global Terrorism Index 2025, with deaths from terrorist attacks rising 45% over the past year to 1,081, according to the report.
The latest operation in Zhob follows a series of military actions in Balochistan. Last month, security forces killed three terrorists in an intelligence-based operation in Mastung district, though two security personnel, including an army major, were killed during the engagement. In separate operations in Kalat district, eight TTP militants, also described as part of the “Indian proxy Fitna al-Hindustan,” were killed.
The Pakistan-Afghanistan border, spanning over 2,600 km, has long been a flashpoint for militancy, with insurgents exploiting the rugged terrain to cross into Pakistan. The government has intensified efforts to secure the border, including constructing a fence, but cross-border attacks remain a significant challenge.
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