Pakistan’s security forces continued to tighten the noose around terrorist networks in Balochistan on Friday, maintaining the momentum of Operation Shabaan with fresh ground and aerial strikes that inflicted another major setback on terrorists operating in different parts of the province.
Launched after the terrorist attack on the Manghi Dam Police Station, Operation Shabaan remains in full swing, with the Pakistan Army, Frontier Corps and Balochistan Police carrying out coordinated intelligence-based, ground and air operations against terrorist hideouts and movement corridors.
Security sources said security forces had already eliminated 26 terrorists during the initial phase of the operation on July 6 and 7. During the past 24 hours, another 13 terrorists were neutralised in precision ground operations backed by helicopter gunships, taking the number of terrorists eliminated under Operation Shabaan to 39.
Officials said search and clearance operations are continuing in areas where terrorists are believed to be attempting to regroup, while aerial surveillance has been intensified to track any movement of fleeing elements.
In a separate development on Friday morning, security forces thwarted a terrorist attack on a police station in the Zedi area of Khuzdar before the attackers could achieve their objective.
According to security sources, Army and Frontier Corps troops responded immediately after the assault began, engaging the attackers in a fierce exchange of fire that resulted in the elimination of eight terrorists. Helicopter gunships were subsequently deployed to pursue fleeing terrorists, with reports indicating that another five to six terrorists were neutralised during the aerial operation.
The swift response prevented the terrorists from overrunning the police station and forced the remaining attackers to retreat under sustained pressure from security forces.
Security sources said that since July 5, a total of 75 terrorists have been eliminated in Operation Shabaan and other intelligence-based operations conducted across Balochistan, underscoring the sustained pace of ongoing counterterrorism efforts.
Officials reaffirmed that security forces remain committed to dismantling terrorist infrastructure across the province and will continue operations until every terrorist involved in attacks against Pakistan’s security forces and innocent civilians is brought to justice.
