- Joint clearance operation launched following blast.
- Fleeing terrorists engaged during subsequent operation.
- Two soldiers injured during exchange of fire: ISPR.
At least eight terrorists affiliated with Indian proxy Fitna al-Hindustan were killed when a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device (VBIED) detonated prematurely while being prepared in the Surab district of Balochistan, the military’s media wing said on Wednesday.
“The premature detonation during preparation resulted in [the] confirmed killing of eight terrorists with multiple injured,” the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said.
It added that the blast also triggered the detonation of other explosives stored at the site, resulting in the deaths of three nearby civilians and injuries to several militants.
Following the incident, security forces and Balochistan Police reached the area and launched a joint clearance operation to track down the perpetrators and their facilitators.
The military’s media wing added that security forces detected the movement of fleeing terrorists during the operation and engaged them. Two soldiers were also injured in an exchange of fire, it added.
Sanitisation operations were continuing in the area to locate and eliminate any remaining militants, according to the ISPR.
The ISPR said the relentless counterterrorism campaign being conducted under the vision of Azm-e-Istehkam, approved by the Federal Apex Committee on the National Action Plan, would continue at full pace.
The incident was reported a day after the security forces killed five India-backed Fitna al-Hindustan during a high-tempo intelligence-based operation in Balochistan’s Panjgur district.
Pakistan witnessed a surge in terror activities, particularly in its KP and Balochistan provinces, since 2021, when the Afghan Taliban came into power.
According to a report by the Centre for Research and Security Studies (CRSS), the two provinces remained the country’s main hotspots for violence during the second quarter of 2026, with KP emerging as the worst-affected region.
The report stated that KP and Balochistan together accounted for nearly 96% of all violence-related fatalities recorded during the quarter. Of the total deaths, more than 61% (475) were reported in KP, while Balochistan accounted for 34% (265).
KP also recorded the highest number of violent incidents, with 151 cases, representing 57% of the nationwide total. Balochistan followed with 94 incidents, or 35%, underscoring the concentration of militant activity in the two provinces.
