As operations in Panjgur continued into Friday morning, Pakistan Army has said that it has intercepted communications between militants in Balochistan and their handlers in both Iran and India.
Since Wednesday night, at least 13 militants have been killed and seven security personnel, including one officer, martyred during separate attacks on Fronteir Corps (FC) bases in Panjgur and Naushki in Balochistan and the ensuing anti-terrorism operations thereafter, according to a statement from Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR).
Adviser to the Balochistan Chief Minister on Home and Tribal Affairs Ziaullah Langove told reporters that although fighting in Naushki had subsisted, security forces were still conducting urban search operations in Panjgur’s bazaar area.
Markets in Panjgur remained closed on Thursday and residents were advised to stay indoors until the operations had been completed.
Recounting the battles, ISPR said terrorists surrounded the FC camp in Pangjur from two sides on Wednesday night, but troops reacted quickly and quashed their attempts. Four militants were killed trying to flee. In Naushki, five terrorists were killed as they charged the FC camp there.
Following the initial attacks, security forces conducted search operations across the area, killing at least five terrorists in the action.
Three soldiers and one officer were martyred in Naushki, while another four were injured and three were martyred in Pangjur .
Last month, a series of terrorist attacks across Balochistan caused dozens of both civilian and armed forces casualties. At least 10 soldiers were reportedly killed in Kech, Balochistan when a group or militants fired on a military camp there during a night-time raid. The Balochistan Liberation Front (BLF) has reportedly claimed responsibility for that attack.
