Pakistan military says 11 suspected militants killed in Balochistan operations

At least 11 suspected militants were killed in separate security operations in Pakistan’s southwestern province of Balochistan’s Kharan and Washuk districts, a Pakistan military statement said, as reported by Pakistani media.

The military’s media wing said the operations targeted suspected militant group members in the two districts. Security forces also seized weapons and other equipment during the operations, Pakistani authorities said.

The military said those killed were militants, but independent verification of the casualties and their affiliations was not immediately available.

The operations are underway amid an intensified security drive in Balochistan, where separatist groups and other militant outfits have been attacking security forces, government installations and civilians. The province has been plagued by a long-running insurgency partly led by the outlawed Balochistan Liberation Army.

Over the last few months, Pakistan’s military has increased intelligence-based operations in Balochistan, with several militant deaths reported in raids and firefights. In August, the military said it killed 12 militants in separate operations in the districts of Washuk and Mastung.

The latest reported operations are part of a wider security drive in the province, where violence continues to be a major problem for Pakistani authorities. The military said it would continue operations against militant networks.