Pakistan says 145 militants killed in security crackdown after deadly Balochistan attacks

Pakistan’s security forces say they have killed about 145 militants in a series of counter-operations across the southwestern province of Balochistan, following coordinated attacks that left around 50 people dead. The provincial government says the operations were launched shortly after the assaults, which targeted multiple locations early Saturday.

Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti said the army and police responded swiftly after the attacks, which were later claimed by the banned separatist group Balochistan Liberation Army. He stated that those killed in the security operation were linked to the group and that their bodies are now in government custody.

Bugti also claimed that some of the dead militants were Afghan nationals, though independent verification of that assertion was not immediately available. Pakistani authorities have long accused militant groups operating in Balochistan of having cross-border links, a claim denied by Afghanistan’s Taliban-led government.

In the aftermath of the violence, provincial officials announced strict security measures that are expected to remain in place for several months. These include bans on public gatherings and demonstrations, restrictions on movement in several districts, and a prohibition on face-covering garments in public places.

Balochistan has faced a low-level insurgency for years, driven by separatist groups who say the region has been politically marginalized and denied a fair share of its natural resource wealth. The latest violence underscores ongoing security challenges in the province, which borders Iran and Afghanistan and is strategically important for major infrastructure and energy projects.