38 security officials martyred, 54 terrorists killed in recent Balochistan attacks: DG ISPR

RAWALPINDI -- Director General of Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry said that three major terrorist incidents had taken place in Balochistan over the past four days, during which security forces and law enforcement agencies killed 54 militants. A total of 42 people, including security personnel and civilians, embraced martyrdom while defending the country.

Briefing the media on the security situation in Balochistan, Lt Gen Chaudhry said militants belonging to Fitna al-Khawarij had targeted innocent civilians in pursuit of their malicious objectives. He praised the people of Balochistan and the provincial police for displaying exceptional courage in confronting the attackers.

The ISPR chief said the first incident occurred during the night of July 4–5 in Hana Urak, where militants attacked local residents. The people of Hana Urak resisted the assault bravely and succeeded in driving the attackers out of the area. Four civilians were martyred and six others sustained injuries during the attack.

The second incident took place on July 6 at a police checkpoint near the pumping station of Mangi Dam. According to Lt Gen Chaudhry, militants attacked the checkpoint, where police personnel put up a determined resistance and killed 15 attackers. However, before reinforcements from the security forces could arrive, the militants took several police officers hostage.

He said the hostage police personnel were all from Balochistan. Security forces carefully tightened the cordon around the militants because the hostages were in their custody. Engagements with the militants continued in the mountains of Ziarat from July 6 onwards. As the militants realised they had been surrounded, they "cowardly" martyred 18 hostage police personnel.

The ISPR chief said 11 militants had been confirmed killed during the subsequent operation, although the actual number was believed to be higher. He added that, so far, 27 police personnel had been martyred in the Mangi checkpoint attack, while 26 militants had been eliminated.

The third incident occurred on Tuesday in Bela, where an army convoy came under attack by militants belonging to the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA). Security forces killed 14 militants during the engagement, while one Junior Commissioned Officer (JCO) and 10 soldiers embraced martyrdom.

Lt Gen Chaudhry further said separate intelligence-based operations were conducted in Kharan and Dalbandin on the same day, during which six militants were killed in Kharan and eight in Dalbandin.

Overall, he said, law enforcement agencies and security forces had so far eliminated 54 militants, adding that operations against militants and their facilitators were continuing.

The ISPR chief alleged that the terrorists involved in these attacks were enemies of Pakistan's peace, prosperity and development. He further claimed that terrorist activities inside Pakistan were being carried out in collaboration with the Afghan Taliban regime.

He said there was a "mastermind" behind the recent wave of terrorist attacks, alleging that Pakistan's adversaries sought to undermine the country's progress and international standing and did not want development to take place in Balochistan.

"We are here, and we will remain here," Lt Gen Chaudhry said. "We will bring every terrorist and their facilitator to justice. They kill our children and innocent civilians, and then expect us to negotiate with them. We will prevail in the war against terrorism."