Security forces killed a top commander of the banned Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), Zahid Saleh alias Wahid alias Bhawani, in an intelligence-based operation (IBO) in the Tump area of Kech district, officials confirmed on Sunday.

According to security sources, arms, ammunition, and explosives were also recovered during the raid. Zahid was involved in more than a dozen terror attacks targeting civilians and security forces across Balochistan, the sources added.

In a statement, the banned BLA confirmed the death, saying that Zahid had joined the group in 2023 and was active on its Tump, Zamuran, and Dasht fronts.

The operation comes after Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, while chairing a high-level meeting on law and order with Balochistan Chief Minister Mir Sarfraz Bugti in Quetta on July 26, vowed that terrorists associated with what he called “Fitna-tul-Hindustan” would be eradicated from Balochistan. The minister stressed that all “Indian-sponsored” militants and their facilitators would be brought to justice.

The banned BLA, designated as a terrorist organization by Pakistan, the United States, and the United Kingdom, has intensified attacks in recent years, targeting infrastructure projects and security personnel in Balochistan. Authorities said that intelligence-based operations would continue until the network is fully dismantled.