Over 140 killed in two-day clashes between Pakistani forces and militants in Balochistan

Islamabad: Pakistani security forces killed 145 people during a 40-hour military operation launched in response to a series of what authorities described as "coordinated" gun and bomb attacks across Balochistan, local media reported, quoting provincial Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti. According to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), security forces killed 92 "militants" during the operation, while 15 civilians also lost their lives, reported leading Pakistani daily The Express Tribune.

Chief Minister Bugti said that 17 personnel from various law enforcement agencies, including the police and the Frontier Corps, along with one official from the navy, were killed in the attacks. In total, at least 31 casualties were reported, with several others sustaining injuries.

Authorities in Pakistan's southwestern province are grappling with one of the deadliest surges of violence in recent years, as insurgents in the resource-rich region bordering Iran and Afghanistan have intensified attacks on security forces, civilians and key infrastructure. (IANS)

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