• 37 eliminated in Mastung, Mach, Khuzdar and Panjgur
• 12 killed in Bannu, North Waziristan, Orakzai and Khyber ‘over the last few days’
• Four labourers among six lives lost in Mastung blast
BANNU/QUETTA: Security forces have eliminated 49 terrorists in separate intelligence-based operations in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, the military’s media wing said on Friday.
“Over the last few days, security forces conducted a series of high-tempo joint intelligence-driven operations along with police, as part of relentless counter-terrorism campaign aimed at eliminating Indian proxies, Fitna al-Khawarij and Fitna al-Hindustan,” the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said.
The state uses the term Fitna al-Khawarij for the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and refers to designated Balochistan-based groups as Fitna al-Hindustan to highlight India’s role in terrorism and destabilisation across Pakistan.
The ISPR said that the operations resulted in “major successes, inflicting significant blows to the terrorist networks” with the elimination of 49 terrorists.
In Balochistan, according to the ISPR, 37 terrorists of Fitna al-Hindustan were eliminated in 10 IBOs in Mastung, Mach, Khuzdar and Panjgur districts. “A significant quantity of weapons, explosive drums and remote detonation equipment were seized and destroyed,” it added.
In KP, it added, at least 12 terrorists belonging to Fitna al-Khawarij were killed in Bannu, North Waziristan, Orakzai and Khyber districts of KP during intelligence-based operations (IBOs). Explosives, IED detonating remotes, weapons, ammunition and motorcycles were recovered from the slain terrorists and subsequently destroyed.
The ISPR said that security forces remained “resolute and unwavering” in defending the nation’s frontiers.
“Sanitisation operations are being conducted to eliminate any other Indian-sponsored Kharji/ terrorist found in the area,” the statement read. “Relentless counterterrorism campaign under vision Azm-i-Istehkam (as approved by Federal Apex Committee on National Action Plan) by security forces and law enforcement agencies of Pakistan will continue at full pace to wipe out the menace of foreign-sponsored and supported terrorism from the country,” it added.
On Aug 12, security forces eliminated 18 terrorists in Balochistan’s Surab district, while on Aug 9, 15 terrorists were killed in multiple IBOs in several areas of the province. Two days earlier, the ISPR said 10 terrorists had been killed in two separate engagements in KP.
According to Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies, violence linked to terrorist attacks and counter-terrorism operations intensified sharply in July, making it the deadliest month of 2026, with 205 people losing their lives, including 112 security personnel.
Mastung blast
Meanwhile, six people, including four labourers, were killed and three others injured in a blast in the Khad Kocha area of Mastung district, Balochistan, officials said on Friday.
It was the same area where Home Minister Ziaullah Langove survived an armed attack in which nine people, including five security guards, were injured.
According to sources, the blast took place in an apple orchard in the Khad Kocha area late on Thursday night, killing four people and injuring three others.
A senior police officer at the area police station confirmed the blast and casualties. “Four people, who were labourers, lost their lives and three others received injuries in the blast,” he said. However, he said the nature of the blast was not known.
Another senior government official said it was a drone attack, adding that four bodies of labourers and two other bodies were also found in the area.
Police shifted all six bodies to Nawab Ghous Bakhsh Memorial Hospital in Mastung.
“We have received six bodies and three injured in the hospital this morning,” a hospital official said, adding that one of the injured, who was in serious condition, was shifted to Civil Hospital in Quetta.
Saleem Shahid in Quetta also contributed to this report
Published in Dawn, August 22nd, 2026
