Pakistan’s security forces killed 11 terrorists in two separate operations in Balochistan’s Kharan and Washuk districts, according to the Inter-Services Public Relations, as the military continues counter-terrorism operations under its Azm-e-Istehkam initiative.
According to ISPR, the Kharan operation was conducted on the night of September 6-7 based on intelligence reports of terrorist presence linked to Indian-sponsored networks operating in the area. Security forces effectively engaged the location, killing several terrorists in the exchange of fire. A separate, simultaneous operation in Washuk district targeted another terrorist hideout, resulting in the elimination of additional militants.
Security forces also recovered a substantial cache of weapons, ammunition, and explosive material from the two locations, including approximately 2.9 tons of explosives that officials say were intended for use in future attacks on civilians and security personnel. The recovered material has been handed over for forensic examination.
Context of the Azm-e-Istehkam Operations
Azm-e-Istehkam is Pakistan’s ongoing nationwide counter-terrorism initiative, launched to consolidate previous operations and respond to a resurgence of militant activity in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Balochistan in particular has seen a rise in attacks on security convoys, checkpoints, and infrastructure over the past year, prompting an increased tempo of intelligence-based operations across the province’s southern and western districts.
ISPR statements have repeatedly described the militant networks active in the region as receiving external support, a characterization that has featured prominently in Pakistan’s diplomatic statements regarding regional security. Security officials maintain that operations will continue until the threat in the affected districts is fully neutralized.
What Comes Next
The military has said search operations will continue in both districts to clear the area of any remaining militants and to prevent further infiltration. Local administration officials in Kharan and Washuk have been asked to remain on alert, and additional security deployments are expected along key routes in the coming days.
The operation adds to a string of recent counter-terrorism successes reported by security forces in Balochistan this year, even as the province continues to grapple with periodic attacks on infrastructure and security personnel. Officials say sustained operations, combined with intelligence cooperation from local communities, remain central to the strategy against militancy in the region.