Five Terrorists Killed in Intelligence-Based Washuk Operation, Say Security Sources

QUETTA: Security forces killed five terrorists in an intelligence-based operation in Balochistan’s Washuk district on Wednesday, state-run Pakistan Television reported, citing security sources. The Washuk operation also left four terrorists injured, according to the report.

Hideouts used by the terrorists were targeted with advanced weapons during the intelligence-based operation, sources said. State media added that the slain and injured men belonged to Fitna al Hindustan, the term the state uses for designated Balochistan-based groups to highlight India’s alleged role in terrorism and destabilisation across Pakistan.

The operation was conducted under Operation Raddul Fitna 3, state media said, adding that advanced weapons and ammunition were recovered from the site. “Security forces remain determined to eliminate terrorism from Balochistan,” the report said.

President Asif Ali Zardari paid tribute to the security forces for the Washuk operation in a statement posted on X. “Effective operations against terrorist elements attempting to disrupt peace and security and spread fear and panic among the public in Balochistan will continue,” the president was quoted as saying. He added that “conspiracies by the terrorists’ foreign patrons and their local facilitators will be thwarted at any cost”.

Washuk operation part of widening Balochistan campaign

The Washuk operation is the latest in a string of counterterrorism actions across Balochistan in recent weeks. On October 10, ten terrorists were killed in a targeted intelligence-based operation conducted by the Counter-Terrorism Department in the province’s Barkhan district, the Home Department said.

In Chagai, security forces killed two terrorists on September 29. The military’s media wing said on September 27 that more than 71 terrorists had been killed in Shaban and other areas of Balochistan. On September 17, three terrorists were eliminated in an intelligence-based operation in Awaran district’s Badrang area, while another three were killed in Mastung on September 14. Earlier in September, 21 terrorists were killed in separate engagements in Nokcha, Chagai, Ziarat Cross and Pishin.

The tempo of operations reflects the scale of the challenge. The number of terrorist attacks in the province increased by seven per cent, from 83 in July to 89 in August, according to the Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies’ monthly assessment. The report declared Balochistan the province “most affected” by terrorism.

Why the Washuk operation matters for Balochistan

Balochistan has faced terrorist attacks and security challenges for a long time, but the current campaign marks one of the most sustained periods of counterterrorism activity in the province in recent years. Operations now span intelligence-based raids, CTD-led targeted actions and sanitisation drives in districts from Washuk and Barkhan in the west to Awaran and Mastung in the centre.

The state’s framing of the targets as Fitna al Hindustan signals that the government continues to link the Balochistan insurgency to foreign sponsorship, a charge it has pressed repeatedly at diplomatic forums. Wednesday’s operation, like the recent Barkhan and Shaban actions, was presented as part of that wider effort rather than an isolated raid.

For residents of the province, the practical question is whether the operations translate into lasting calm. Security officials say the campaign will continue at full pace until the networks behind the attacks are dismantled. Dawn reported the details of the Washuk action.

Read our earlier coverage of the province’s security situation: Section 144 imposed in DI Khan, pillion riding banned, Senate panel pushes provincial quotas in promotions, PPP defends governor’s rule in KP, and Three militants killed in Mir Ali intelligence operation.

What is Operation Raddul Fitna 3?

State media said the Washuk intelligence-based operation was conducted under Operation Raddul Fitna 3, the latest phase of the security forces’ counterterrorism campaign in Balochistan.

Who were the targets of the Washuk operation?

Security sources identified the slain and injured men as members of Fitna al Hindustan, the state’s designation for Balochistan-based terrorist groups it says are backed by India.

How many terrorists have been killed in Balochistan recently?

In recent weeks, ten were killed in Barkhan on October 10, two in Chagai on September 29, more than 71 in Shaban and nearby areas, three in Awaran, three in Mastung and 21 across Nokcha, Chagai, Ziarat Cross and Pishin earlier in September.