Pakistan has claimed that its security forces killed 75 militants during days-long operations launched after a series of deadly attacks on police, security personnel and civilians in the restive province of Balochistan. The operations targeted the banned Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), which Islamabad has blamed for the attacks.According to the Balochistan government, the operations involving the Pakistan Army, the Frontier Corps and police began late on Monday after dozens of alleged BLA fighters attacked a police post near Mangi Dam, a key reservoir that supplies water to millions of people in Quetta and surrounding areas.Pakistani authorities claimed that nine police personnel and 15 attackers were killed in the initial assault. They also alleged that the attackers abducted 18 police officers, who were later found blindfolded and shot dead after fleeing into nearby mountains.The claim came a day after Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif visited Quetta, where he met the families of 42 people killed in the attacks.According to the Pakistan PM’s office, Sharif told the bereaved families that their sacrifices “were not in vain” and assured them that those responsible would be brought to justice. The latest violence has raised concerns over the growing reach of separatist groups operating in Balochistan, where security forces have battled a decades-long insurgency.The Balochistan government also announced compensation of 11.1 million Pakistani rupees (around USD 39,000) for the family of each police officer killed in the attacks.Balochistan, Pakistan’s largest but least populous province, has witnessed a long-running separatist insurgency led by ethnic Baloch groups seeking greater autonomy or independence. The province has also faced attacks by the TTP, a militant group distinct from but allied with the Afghan Taliban.Pakistan says security operations are continuing in Balochistan, while independent verification of its claims regarding the number of militants killed and other operational details was not immediately available.
