QUETTA / ISLAMABAD: Twelve “hardcore terrorists” were killed in a gun battle with security forces in the Splinji area of Mastung district, the military said on Sunday.

Eight security personnel, including two officers, were injured in the intelligence-based operation (IBO) conducted over the past two days.

The security forces through this operation foiled a major act of terrorism in Balochistan, said Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the media affairs wing of the armed forces. Terrorists were hiding inside a cave for planning, coordination and execution of terrorist activities in Balochistan.

The action was part of Operation Raddul Fasaad and the target of the IBO were hideouts of the militants of the banned Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) in the Sken Nullah Darango area, 55km southeast of Kahan.

Unconfirmed reports said that the two Chinese nationals kidnapped from Quetta recently week were rescued. Among those killed were the top and mid-ranking leadership of the militant Islamic State group in Pakistan.

The chief of the IS, Sindh chapter, was captured.

A large cache of weapons, ammunition and explosives including guns, rocket launchers, anti-personnel mines, detonators and communication equipment, were recovered from the terrorist hideouts.

Pakistan Army’s Light Commando Battalion, Special Service Group, Special Operation Wing, FC Balochistan, and Frontier Corps troops took part in the operation.

The area was being used as an operational base of IS and Laskar-e-Jhangvi Al Alami.

Published in Dawn, June 5th, 2017

Opinion

Editorial

Judiciary’s SOS
Updated 28 Mar, 2024

Judiciary’s SOS

The ball is now in CJP Isa’s court, and he will feel pressure to take action.
Data protection
28 Mar, 2024

Data protection

WHAT do we want? Data protection laws. When do we want them? Immediately. Without delay, if we are to prevent ...
Selling humans
28 Mar, 2024

Selling humans

HUMAN traders feed off economic distress; they peddle promises of a better life to the impoverished who, mired in...
New terror wave
Updated 27 Mar, 2024

New terror wave

The time has come for decisive government action against militancy.
Development costs
27 Mar, 2024

Development costs

A HEFTY escalation of 30pc in the cost of ongoing federal development schemes is one of the many decisions where the...
Aitchison controversy
Updated 27 Mar, 2024

Aitchison controversy

It is hoped that higher authorities realise that politics and nepotism have no place in schools.