Major, Four soldiers martyred in Barkhan operation in Balochitan: ISPR

Major Tauseef Ahmed Bhatti and four other military personnel were martyred during an area sanitisation operation in Balochistan’s Barkhan district on Wednesday, the military’s media wing said.

“On the morning of May 13, 2026, troops of Pakistan Army and Frontier Corps Balochistan commenced an area sanitisation operation at general area Nosham of Barkhan District to eliminate terrorists of Indian backed Fitna Al Hindustan,” the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said in a statement.

It said the troops located and engaged a group of terrorists. “During fire exchange seven terrorists of Indian backed Fitna Al Hindustan were sent to hell,” the ISPR added, further saying that weapons, ammunition and explosives were also recovered from them.

Read: 22 terrorists killed in intelligence-based operation in K-P, military says

‘Fitna al-Hindustan’ is a term used by the state to refer to all terrorist groups operating in Balochistan.

The ISPR said that Major Bhatti, 31, a resident of Pakpattan district, was martyred, along with Naik Fida Hussain, 36, from Sukkur; Sepoy Zakir Hussain, 32, from Skardu; Sepoy Suhail Ahmed, 21, from Khanewal, and Sepoy Muhammad Ayaz, 24, from Rahim Yar Khan.

The military’s media wing said the sanitisation operation in the surrounding areas was continuing to eliminate any other “Indian-sponsored terrorists” present.

“Relentless Counter Terrorism campaign under vision ‘Azm e Istehkam’ (as approved by Federal Apex Committee on National Action Plan) by Security Forces and Law Enforcement Agencies of Pakistan will continue at full pace to wipe out menace of foreign sponsored and supported terrorism from the country,” the statement concluded.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif praised officers and personnel of the security forces for carrying out an operation against terrorists in the Nosham area of Balochistan’s Barkhan district.

According to a statement issued by the Prime Minister’s Office, while paying tribute to Major Bhatti and other soldiers martyred during the operation, the premier also prayed for the elevation of their ranks and expressed condolences to their families.

“These great sons of the soil set a remarkable example of loyalty while defending the country against terrorists,” the prime minister said.

“The Pakistani nation will never forget the immense sacrifices of its martyrs,” he added.

PM Shehbaz said officers and personnel of the security forces remained engaged day and night in protecting the country.

“In the unwavering resolve to defend the homeland, the entire nation, including myself, stands shoulder to shoulder with our brave security forces,” he said.

Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi also paid tribute to Major Bhatti and the four soldiers who were martyred during the operation.

In a statement, the interior minister expressed sympathy and condolences to the families of the martyrs.

Naqvi said Major Bhatti and the soldiers fought bravely and sent seven terrorists “to hell”.

He said the security personnel had foiled the nefarious designs of “Indian-sponsored terrorists” through their sacrifice and courage.

“I salute the sacrifice of Major Tauseef Ahmed Bhatti and the other martyrs,” the minister said, adding that every drop of the martyrs’ blood was a guarantee for the protection of the country.

“Every martyr, including Major Tauseef Ahmed, is the crown of our heads,” he said.

The interior minister said the martyrs sacrificed their precious lives for the homeland and attained the high status of martyrdom. “Major Tauseef Ahmed and the other martyrs will always remain alive in our hearts,” he added.

Terrorism is a growing problem for Pakistan with the number of attacks rising every year since 2022, according to Armed Conflict Location & Event Data (ACLED), a global monitoring organization. Data from ACLED shows attacks in Pakistan rose nearly fourfold to 2,425 in 2025 from 658 in 2022 and over the same period, TTP attacks increased more than seven-fold to 838 from 118.

Although Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa has borne the brunt of terrorism, Balochistan has also remained a major target of Indian proxies, which often target civilians and military installations in the province.

In one such attack on the last day of last year, terrorists targeted innocent civilians in Balochistan’s Gwadar and Kharan districts, where 18 people, including women, children, the elderly and labourers, embraced martyrdom.

Security forces and law enforcement agencies immediately responded and successfully thwarted the “evil designs” of the terrorists, killing 92 militants, while 15 security personnel also embraced martyrdom during the operation.