Pakistan’s military has successfully concluded a week-long comprehensive security operation in the restive southwestern province of Balochistan, announcing the elimination of 216 militants during targeted offensives. The operation, codenamed Radd-ul-Fitna-1 (Elimination of Chaos), was launched on January 29th in response to coordinated attacks by the separatist Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) that targeted educational institutions, banking facilities, public markets, and military installations across the province.
According to an official military statement released Thursday, the carefully planned operation utilized actionable intelligence to dismantle terrorist sleeper cells through sustained search and clearance missions. Security forces conducted precision strikes based on meticulous planning, significantly degrading the leadership hierarchy, command structures, and operational capabilities of terrorist networks in the region.
The military reported seizing substantial quantities of foreign-origin weapons, ammunition, explosives, and military equipment during the operations. Preliminary analysis indicates the militants benefited from systematic external facilitation and logistical support, though the military did not specify the sources of this assistance.
Tragically, the conflict resulted in significant collateral damage, with 36 civilian casualties including women and children, alongside 22 fallen members of security forces and police personnel.
Balochistan has endured decades of separatist insurgency, with escalating violence in recent years as armed groups protest against perceived exploitation of the province’s abundant natural resources. The region possesses substantial deposits of coal, gold, copper, and natural gas, generating considerable revenue for the federal government.
Prime Minister of Balochistan Sarfraz Bugti revealed to journalists on Sunday that security forces have eliminated over 700 terrorists in the province during the past twelve months, with approximately 70 neutralized in the preceding 48 hours alone. He emphatically stated that these attacks would not weaken the government’s counterterrorism resolve.
The provincial leader further accused neighboring nations India and Afghanistan of providing support to the militants—allegations consistently denied by both governments. The operation represents the latest chapter in Pakistan’s ongoing struggle to maintain stability in its strategically important but volatile southwestern region.