Pakistan’s armed forces reported the killing of 12 militants during a special operation in the Kalat region in the southwest of Balochistan province, bordering Afghanistan and Iran.
The army statement noted that fierce clashes occurred during the operation.
It is alleged that the eliminated militants received support from India. It is not specified which group they belonged to.
Terrorist threat in Pakistan
Armed attacks occur especially often in the provinces of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan bordering Afghanistan.
In both regions there are armed groups that claim to protect the rights of Pashtuns and Baluchis. These groups regularly carry out attacks on military personnel and civilians.
Islamabad accuses the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) of being based in Afghanistan and planning terrorist attacks from there; authorities in Kabul deny these accusations.
In Balochistan, the most active is the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), which advocates the separation of the province from Pakistan and the transfer of power to the people Balochi.