Pakistan Claims 71 India-Backed Militants Killed in Balochistan Operations
Pakistan’s military has claimed that 71 militants were killed in separate security operations in the southwestern province of Balochistan over the past 96 hours. It also said a large quantity of weapons, ammunition and explosives was recovered during the operations.
The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the military’s media wing, said on Sunday (September 27) that the operations were conducted in several areas of Balochistan. Pakistan claimed that those killed were members of armed groups backed by India and Afghanistan. India and Afghanistan did not immediately respond to the allegations.
According to the Pakistani military, an operation began in the Shaban area of Quetta on September 21. After 33 militants were killed in the initial phase, another 23 were killed over the following 72 hours. The military also claimed that 11 militants were killed in a separate intelligence-based operation in Nushki and another six in the Mand area.
Meanwhile, Afghanistan has made counter-allegations against Pakistan. The Afghan Defence Ministry claimed that 28 people were killed and 32 others detained in an operation against an armed group that crossed into the Kamdesh area of Nuristan from Pakistan. It said members of Daesh and former Afghan government security forces were among the group.
Kabul claimed that the groups had entered Afghan territory with the support and encouragement of Pakistani militias. Pakistan, however, has rejected the allegation outright. Its Information Ministry described claims of involvement by Pakistani security forces or intelligence agencies in internal conflicts in Afghanistan, including Nuristan, as baseless and untrue.
Pakistan has long accused India and Afghanistan of supporting armed groups operating in the country. India and Afghanistan have denied the allegations. Islamabad has also repeatedly urged Afghanistan’s Taliban government to take action against the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).
Pakistan claims that TTP members are using Afghan territory to carry out attacks inside the country. Kabul, however, denies the allegation, saying it does not permit attacks against Pakistan to be launched from Afghan territory. Border tensions and cross-border attacks between the two countries have also increased in recent times.
Earlier this month, at least 31 people were killed in a blast and gun attack at a police headquarters in Kohat, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Pakistan said 16 of those killed were police personnel.
Then, last Thursday, Pakistan said it carried out air and drone strikes at 10 locations after detecting and intercepting drones coming from Afghanistan. Islamabad claimed that the strikes were limited to specific military targets and that the sites were directly linked to attempts to launch drone attacks.
Pakistan has urged the Afghan Taliban to halt hostile activities and take effective and sustained action against armed groups operating from Afghan territory. Amid the rival allegations by the two countries, tensions along the border have risen again.
Source: TRT World
