Pakistani security forces have intensified their massive counter-terrorism operation within the Shaban region of the Balochistan province’s mountainous region, during which three more terrorists have been killed in the latest phase of the ongoing operation.
The official sources state that the latest operation has resulted in the killing of 88 terrorists and that the number of terrorists killed since July 5 in security operations is 126.
The combined operation is being undertaken by the Pakistan Army, Frontier Corps (FC) Balochistan and police with the troops targeting the hideouts of the terrorists in the hilly area of Harnai. The operation is underway in phases to gradually push out armed militants and eradicate their infrastructure, security forces said.
Operation launched after deadly police attack
The operation was initiated in the wake of the recent attack on a police post in Mangi Dam, in which 27 police personnel were martyred by terrorists.
Nine police officers were killed in the first assault; 18 more were abducted and killed by the assailants after which a massive push had been conducted in the entire area, officials said.
The remains of four kidnapped staff members were found
However, the corpses of four active and retired security personnel were found in a remote area in the Shaban area.
The names of the deceased have been identified as ASF Inspector Zubair Ahmed; former Counter Terrorism Department official Khalil Ahmed; Havaldar Muhammad Sadiq; and Counter Terrorism Force constable Farid Ahmed, who had retired.
Multiple bullet wound injuries were found on the bodies, who were subsequently transferred to Combined Military Hospital (CMH) Quetta for legal proceedings and then handed over to their relatives, officials stated.
Investigators say that on June 21, two of the officers, Zubair Ahmed and Khalil Ahmed, were kidnapped, and on July 5, two other officers, Muhammad Sadiq and Farid Ahmed, from the Mangi area in Ziarat were kidnapped by gunmen.
Initial investigations indicate that the victims were murdered several days ago and dumped in a remote mountainous location. A probe into the kidnapping and slaying is underway.
A search is being conducted in the mountains
The military continued their search and clearance operations in the difficult mountainous region of ​​Shaban, where the hideouts of terrorists are being targeted to prevent them from regrouping, security officials said.
The operation will be ongoing until the whole area is cleared and security is restored, officials say.
Talks have failed to achieve any results, but the protests remain
At the same time, protest sit-ins are taking place in Quetta, Ziarat and Koila Phatak, where the relatives of the police martyrs and locals have called for justice and stringent security measures.
A delegation of the government led by Home Minister of Balochistan Ziaullah Lango has met protesters several times.
The majority of the protesters’ demands have been accepted, and an attempt has been made to ask for their peaceful end to the sit-ins, the government said. But the discussions did not yield results, and the protesters decided to go on their protest.
