QUETTA: Operation Al-Azm has intensified in Balochistan, where security forces have killed 16 militants during ongoing intelligence-based operations, according to security sources.

The operations were launched after a series of recent militant attacks in the province. Security forces have targeted suspected hideouts in Killi Kundi Umrani, Khad Kocha and Mastung, where they say militants suffered significant losses.

Militant Hideouts Destroyed

Security sources said troops destroyed several militant hideouts and ambush positions during the operations. They also recovered weapons, ammunition and explosive materials from the sites.

Officials said the campaign will continue until militant networks are dismantled and peace is fully restored across Balochistan.

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Operations Follow Recent Attacks

The latest operations follow attacks carried out by militants in the province, including an assault on the Mangi Dam Police Station that prompted the launch of Operation Shaban.

In a separate incident, unidentified gunmen opened fire on a vehicle carrying members of the judiciary on the national highway in Mastung. A district and sessions judge and his security guard were killed, while an additional sessions judge and another individual sustained serious injuries.

Army Chief Reaffirms Counterterrorism Campaign

On Friday, Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir reaffirmed the military’s commitment to eliminating terrorism in Balochistan.

Addressing participants of the National Workshop Balochistan at General Headquarters (GHQ), he said security forces would continue targeted operations against militant groups until terrorism and its support networks are dismantled.

He added that sustained efforts by security forces, supported by the public, would help establish lasting peace in the province.

UN Report Highlights Security Concerns

The latest operations come amid continued security concerns in Pakistan, particularly in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, where militant attacks have increased.

A United Nations Security Council (UNSC) monitoring report released earlier highlighted attacks by the banned Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) against Pakistani security forces and projects linked to the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

The report stated that some member states assessed the BLA had coordinated with the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and ISIL-K through shared training facilities and resources. It also noted that other member states found no evidence of operational links between the BLA and Al-Qaeda or ISIL.

The report further said militant groups operating from Afghanistan had acquired advanced weapons through cross-border smuggling and black-market networks, raising concerns over the region’s evolving security landscape.