RAWALPINDI, August 12: Security forces eliminated three more terrorists during a sanitisation operation conducted on the night of August 10 and 11 in the Sambaza area, situated along the Pakistan–Afghanistan border in Zhob district, Balochistan, according to a statement issued by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) on Tuesday.
The ISPR said the operation, launched as part of ongoing anti-infiltration measures, also led to the recovery of weapons, ammunition, and explosives from the slain militants. The action followed a series of operations in the region in recent days, during which multiple infiltration attempts were foiled.
In the past four days alone, at least 50 terrorists have been killed—47 in earlier encounters and three in the latest engagement. The military reiterated its resolve to protect Pakistan’s borders and thwart any attempts to destabilise the country’s peace, stability, and development.
Intelligence assessments indicate that the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) has forged operational links with other militant outfits, notably the Balochistan Liberation Army’s (BLA) Majeed Brigade, to intensify attacks in Pakistan. The UN Security Council’s latest report corroborates these findings, noting “close coordination” between the two groups in orchestrating high-profile, complex attacks in 2025.
Officials say the TTP and its affiliates have been using safe havens inside Afghanistan—secured after their 2014 defeat in Operation Zarb-e-Azb—to launch attacks on Pakistani soil. Balochistan, home to key projects of the multi-billion-dollar China–Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), remains a frequent target of insurgent violence.
