Five Pakistani Troops, Including a Major, Killed in Barkhan Operation

Overview

• The Pakistan Army said a sanitisation sweep in Nosham, Barkhan, on Wednesday killed seven militants and left five soldiers dead.
• The fallen were identified as Major Tauseef Ahmed Bhatti, Naik Fida Hussain, Sepoy Zakir Hussain, Sepoy Suhail Ahmed and Sepoy Muhammad Ayaz.
• ISPR described the militants as part of “Fitna al-Hindustan,” a state label for armed groups it links to India in Balochistan.
• Troops recovered weapons, ammunition and explosives from the site, and security forces are continuing to clear the area.
• Officials framed the operation as part of a sustained counterterror drive as Pakistan reports more cross-border attacks since 2021, especially in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.