Pakistan security forces kill 145 militants in Balochistan after deadly attacks

Pakistan's security forces killed 145 militants over about 40 hours following coordinated attacks across Balochistan that killed dozens of personnel and civilians.

Pakistan’s security forces killed 145 militants over roughly 40 hours after a wave of coordinated attacks across Balochistan that killed dozens of security personnel and civilians, the provincial chief minister said Sunday.

The high death toll included militants killed during raids on Friday and Saturday, plus others taken out in ongoing search operations, Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfaraz Bugti said at a news conference in Quetta, according to a report by India Today.

“This is the highest number since Pakistan is facing this war on terror,” Bugti claimed, according to Dawn.

Bugti reported that 17 law enforcement personnel and 31 civilians died in the violence, which broke out nearly simultaneously across districts like Quetta, Gwadar, Mastung, and Noshki. The Baloch Liberation Army claimed the attacks, sparking major operations by the army, police, and counterterrorism forces.

On Saturday, the Baloch Liberation Army announced the second phase of Operation Herof, dubbed the "black storm," targeting security personnel, a day after the military reported killing 41 insurgents in two operations.​

In a statement by spokesperson Jeeyand Baloch, the group claimed its fighters seized a Counter Terrorism Department headquarters in Noshki and overran a Frontier Corps facility, killing Pakistani soldiers in the assaults.

A day earlier, Pakistan's military claimed, without providing evidence, that the attacks were conducted by "Indian-sponsored militants."

On Sunday, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif reiterated the allegation, stating the attackers had ties to India and pledging to "completely eliminate these terrorists."

Randhir Jaiswal, spokesperson for the Ministry of External Affairs, rejected Pakistan's baseless allegations in an X post.

India dismissed Pakistan’s allegations as baseless. In a sharp statement, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal called the claims a typical Islamabad ploy to divert attention from its internal failures.

“Instead of repeating baseless accusations after every violent incident, Pakistan should address the long-standing grievances of its people in the region,” Jaiswal said, noting the country’s well-documented record of “suppression, brutality, and human rights violations.”