Fifteen militants killed in Balochistan and Dera Ismail Khan raids

Security forces killed 15 militants in three intelligence-based operations across Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the military's media wing said, in a week that also cost the Pakistan Army two soldiers.

According to Inter-Services Public Relations statements reported by Express News, nine militants were killed in two operations in Balochistan's Kachhi and Wadh districts on 26 October. In Kachhi, security forces located and destroyed a militant hideout and, after an intense exchange of fire, killed seven. In Wadh, forces tracked the movement of a second group and intercepted it, killing two in the firefight. Weapons and ammunition were recovered in both operations.

Express News, citing ISPR, described the Balochistan group as Fitna al-Hindustan, which it said was active under Indian sponsorship.

Separately, Aaj News reported that six militants were killed in an intelligence-based operation in the Zarkani area of Dera Ismail Khan district on 24 October. The outlet, citing ISPR, described them as Indian-sponsored Fitna al-Khawarij and said the dead were involved in attacks on security forces, law enforcement agencies and civilians. Weapons and ammunition were seized from them.

Two soldiers were martyred in the Dera Ismail Khan firefight. ISPR named them as Naik Ghulam Murtaza, 36, a resident of Gujrat district, and Sepoy Tazeer Ahmed, 30, from Talagang district, according to Aaj News.

ISPR said clearance operations were continuing in both areas to trace and eliminate any remaining militants, so that their presence is completely ended. It said the counter-terrorism campaign by security forces and law enforcement agencies would continue at full pace under Azm-e-Istehkam, the vision approved by the Federal Apex Committee constituted under the National Action Plan, with the aim of ending the threat of terrorism carried out with foreign sponsorship and support.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif paid tribute to the security forces for killing the six militants in Zarkani and offered condolences to the families of Naik Ghulam Murtaza and Sepoy Tazeer Ahmed, saying the nation salutes the sacrifices of its soldiers and that they would not go in vain, according to a statement from the Prime Minister's Office carried by Aaj News. He reiterated the commitment to eliminating terrorism under Azm-e-Istehkam.

Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi also praised the forces for the operation, saying they acted in time to kill the six militants. He paid tribute to the two martyrs, said they had thwarted the enemy's designs by giving their lives, and expressed sympathy with their families.