By Staff Reporter
ISLAMABAD: Pakistani security forces killed six militants from the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) in an operation in the southwestern province of Balochistan, state media reported on Wednesday.
The operation in the Harnai area targeted militants responsible for attacks on security forces and civilians, Radio Pakistan said.
“Six terrorists of BLA were killed in an operation by security forces in the Harnai area of Balochistan,” the report stated. “These terrorists were involved in direct attacks on security forces and innocent people.”
Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi praised the security forces for the successful intelligence-based operation.
“Security forces once again carried out a successful operation and sent six terrorists to hell,” Naqvi said. “I congratulate the forces for foiling the nefarious intentions of the terrorists.”
Naqvi reiterated the government’s resolve to eliminate terrorism. “Terrorists and facilitators are the burden of the earth, and with the support of the nation, we will wipe them out.”
The operation follows a fresh wave of violence has erupted in Balochistan, where young ethnic Baloch are leading protests against alleged enforced disappearances and human rights abuses by security forces, who reject the accusations.
Last month, dozens of militants affiliated with theBLA launched numerous attacks across Balochistan, targeting security personnel and civilians, particularly those from Punjab. They went on a rampage across the province, storming police stations, blowing up railway tracks, and setting fire to almost three dozen vehicles.
They killed 23 passengers, all of them from central Punjab province, after being offloaded from buses and trucks in the Rarasham area of Balochistan’s Musakhail.
Balochistan, which borders Afghanistan and Iran, is Pakistan’s poorest province, despite an abundance of untapped natural resources, and lags behind the rest of the country in education, employment and economic development. The province is also home to major China-led projects such as a deep-water port and a gold and copper mine.
The government has ruled out talks with separatist militants and maintained that there would be no dialogue with “terrorists and enemies of peace”.
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