The key facts

  • Four militants killed in Kalat district; an army major died in an IED explosion in Pasni (Gwadar district).
  • The military links the violence to groups seeking the province's separation.
  • Pakistan accuses India and Afghanistan of supporting militants; both countries deny this.

Outcomes of operations in Balochistan

The Pakistani army reported on Monday that at least five people were killed during a series of security operations in the southwestern province of Balochistan. According to the military, four militants were eliminated in Kalat district, while an army major died in an explosion of an improvised explosive device (IED) in the town of Pasni in the strategically important district of Gwadar.

Context of the conflict

According to the military department, security forces have long been facing a low-intensity insurgency in the mineral-rich province of Balochistan, where a number of militant groups are fighting for the province's separation. Pakistan accuses neighboring India and Afghanistan of patronizing militant groups — both countries deny these accusations.