Kuwait City: At least 18 soldiers and 23 militants were reportedly killed in multiple security operations in Pakistan's southwestern Balochistan province in the last 24 hours. "The terrorists" attempted to establish roadblocks in the general area of Mangocher in Kalat District of Balochistan, Pakistan military's media wing Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) said in a press release on Saturday.
According to Kuwait News Agency, the ISPR reported that the terrorists acted on behalf of inimical and hostile forces, aiming to disrupt the peaceful environment of Balochistan by targeting mainly innocent civilians. The swift mobilization of security forces and law enforcement agencies thwarted the terrorists' plans, resulting in the death of 12 terrorists and ensuring the security and protection of the local populace. However, 18 soldiers lost their lives in the operations, which ISPR described as a gallant fight in which they made the ultimate sacrifice.
In response to the acts of terrorism in Kalat District, multiple sanitization operations are being conducted throughout the province by security forces. During one such operation in Harnai District, security forces effectively engaged with terrorists, killing eleven and dismantling multiple hideouts, the ISPR release stated. Ongoing sanitization operations aim to bring the perpetrators, facilitators, and abettors of these acts to justice. The military emphasized its determination to thwart any attempts to sabotage the peace, stability, and progress of Balochistan, affirming that the sacrifices made by the soldiers only strengthen their resolve.
In a related incident on Friday, at least 10 terrorists were killed in multiple security operations in Pakistan's northern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK) province. These operations occur amidst a rise in terror attacks, particularly in the provinces of KPK and Balochistan, which border Afghanistan.