Pakistan military says 48 militants killed in multiple raids in southwest

Pakistani security forces conducted multiple raids in the country's southwest over the past three days, resulting in the deaths of 48 militants, the military announced Friday. The operations targeted hideouts in Balochistan's Mastung, Sibi, Quetta, and Kalat districts. Intelligence-led, the raids also recovered a cache of weapons.

The militants killed were identified as "Khawarij," a term the Pakistani government uses for members of outlawed militant groups like the Baloch Liberation Army and Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan. Security forces are continuing to search the area for any remaining militants. Balochistan, Pakistan's largest and least populous province, has been plagued by a separatist insurgency led by the BLA, which has carried out numerous attacks in recent years.

The surge in militant activity comes a day after the military reported killing 15 more militants attempting to cross into northwest Pakistan from Afghanistan. Militant violence has intensified in Pakistan in recent months, largely attributed to the TTP, which is separate but closely allied with the Afghan Taliban. Pakistan claims many TTP leaders and insurgents have found refuge in Afghanistan since the Taliban's return to power in 2021, a claim denied by Kabul.