Security forces killed five terrorists and wounded four others during an intelligence-based operation in the Palantak area of Washuk district in Balochistan, security sources said on Wednesday.
The operation was carried out under the continuing Operation Radd-ul-Fitna 3 against militants labelled Fitna al-Hindustan, the term the federal government uses for armed groups it accuses of acting as foreign proxies in Balochistan. According to the sources, troops struck militant hideouts with modern and heavy weapons.
A cache of arms and ammunition was recovered from the dead and wounded militants, including an RPG-7 launcher with five rounds, magazines, several advanced firearms, three mobile phones and two motorcycles. The sources said the militants were involved in robbing residents, damaging local infrastructure and spreading fear and panic in the area.
President Asif Ali Zardari paid tribute to the security forces for the successful action, saying effective operations against elements disrupting peace in Balochistan would continue. He vowed that conspiracies by the foreign sponsors of terrorism and their local facilitators would be foiled at all costs.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also commended the troops, describing the operation as proof of the nation’s resolve against terrorism and insisting the state would pursue the campaign until the menace was completely eradicated.
The Washuk action follows an intensified counterterrorism drive across Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Security forces killed five militants in a similar operation in Mastung district on October 7, and security agencies have continued a steady series of intelligence-led raids through the year.
The country has seen a sharp rise in militant violence in 2026. Data from the Islamabad-based Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies shows September recorded 225 militant attacks, the highest monthly figure in twelve years.
