Eighteen Pakistani soldiers were martyred in Balochistan on Saturday as they prevented terrorists from setting up roadblocks. In response, security forces killed 23 terrorists in Balochistan province over the past 24 hours in a series of operations launched in the province.
The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) announced the death toll in a press release issued on Saturday.
The ISPR statement described the attack as a “cowardly act of terrorism” aimed at disrupting the peace of Balochistan and targeting innocent civilians, allegedly at the behest of unspecified “inimical and hostile forces.” Security forces and law enforcement agencies responded swiftly, successfully preventing the terrorists from establishing the roadblocks.
The statement highlighted the bravery of the security personnel, who fought gallantly despite suffering significant casualties. The ISPR offered condolences to the families of the martyred soldiers, praising their sacrifice in protecting the local population.
The ISPR statement detailed two separate engagements. The first occurred on the night of January 31 into February 1 in the Mangocher area of Kalat District, where security forces successfully prevented terrorists from establishing a roadblock, resulting in the deaths of twelve terrorists.
A second operation, conducted in Harnai District on February 1, led to the elimination of eleven more terrorists and the dismantling of several terrorist hideouts.
The ISPR press release emphasized that these operations are part of ongoing “sanitization operations” across the province aimed at bringing the perpetrators and facilitators of the Kalat attack to justice.
The statement concluded by reiterating the security forces’ commitment to eradicating terrorism in Balochistan and across Pakistan.
2024 was the deadliest year in terms of terrorist attacks for Pakistan in the last decade. Not only were deaths from terrorism at a nine-year high but they were also 60% higher than 2023. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan were the worst hit provinces with 1,616 and 782 fatalities respectively. A total of 925 terrorists were killed across the year.
