Three more terrorists killed as Operation Shaban continues
• Bodies of four abducted security personnel recovered from Harnai
• Families of martyred cops continue sit-ins, talks remain deadlocked
QUETTA: Security forces killed three more terrorists as a joint operation by the army, police, and Frontier Corps Balochistan continues to target terrorist hideouts in the difficult mountainous terrain of the Shaban area, officials said on Wednesday.
Officials said that with the killing of three more terrorists, the death toll from the Shaban operations reached 88, while the total number of terrorists killed since July 5 has risen to 126.
The operation was launched after the martyrdom of 27 police personnel in an attack by terrorists at a police post in the Mangi dam area. Nine police personnel were killed on the spot, while 18 others were killed by the terrorists after being kidnapped.
The continuation of the operation follows the discovery of the bullet-riddled bodies of four active and retired security personnel in the same Shaban area of the Harnai district on Monday.
Officials said the bullet-riddled bodies were found in an abandoned area by security forces and were shifted to the Combined Military Hospital in Quetta.
A senior official confirmed the recovery of four bodies and said one of them was identified as Inspector Zubair Ahmed of the Airport Security Force, who was posted in Islamabad and had come to Quetta on leave.
He said the other three victims were identified as Khalil Ahmed, a former official of the Counter Terrorism Department; retired Havaldar Muhammad Sadiq; and Anti-Terrorist Force constable Fareed Ahmed.
Officials said ASF Inspector Zubair Ahmed was abducted on June 21 along with his friend Khalil Ahmed, while Havaldar Muhammad Sadiq and ATF constable Fareed Ahmed were taken away by armed men from the Mangi area of Ziarat on July 5.
“All the four bodies seem to be a few days old and armed abductors, after killing them, dumped their bodies in the Shaban area,” a senior official said.
The official added that all four bodies were handed over to their heirs. Police and other authorities were investigating the abduction of all four men and their subsequent killings.
Security forces said the joint operation was continuing in the Shaban area, where troops were targeting terrorists and their hideouts in the challenging mountainous terrain.
Meanwhile, a large number of people, including family members of the martyred police personnel, were participating in the sit-ins at Koila Phatak and in front of the DC Office in Ziarat.
In Quetta, protesters were continuing their sit-in along with seven bodies. A government negotiation team, headed by Home Minister Ziaullah Langove, held talks with leaders of the all-parties alliance, but a deadlock remained over resolving the issue.
The government delegation said most of the demands of the protesters had been accepted by the government and appealed to them to call off their sit-in.
Published in Dawn, July 16th, 2026
