Baloch Residents Thank Security Forces After Mand Attack Foiled
MAND, PAKISTAN — WEB DESK: Residents in Mand, Balochistan, have expressed gratitude to Pakistani security forces after authorities said a militant attack in the area was thwarted, as counterterrorism operations continue across the province.
Local residents praised security personnel following the incident and voiced support for cooperation between civilians and security forces against militant violence.
The Express report quoted residents as saying that an enemy could not defeat an army supported by the public and described cooperation between citizens and security forces as important for defeating militant groups and restoring stability in Balochistan.
The report, however, provides limited independently verifiable detail about the Mand incident itself, including the precise timing, number of attackers, casualties or identities of the residents whose reactions were featured.
For publication, those expressions of support should therefore be attributed to the residents featured in the report rather than presented as representative of all Baloch people.
Security Operations Intensify Across Balochistan
The Mand development comes amid a broader counterterrorism campaign in Balochistan.
Pakistan’s military said security forces had killed 33 militants in operations across Balochistan since September 21, according to an Inter-Services Public Relations statement reported by Dawn.
The military said the operations targeted militants it described using the state-designated terms “Fitna al-Khawarij” and “Fitna al-Hindustan.” Pakistan uses the latter term for designated Balochistan-based militant groups while alleging Indian sponsorship.
Those allegations of foreign sponsorship are claims by Pakistani authorities and should remain attributed as such unless independently established.
The military said that during operations on September 24, security forces targeted additional militant hideouts under Operation Shaban, killing five militants and recovering weapons, ammunition and explosives.
Another intelligence-based operation was conducted in Nushki district on September 25, where the military said 11 militants were killed following an exchange of fire.
Kech Operation Near Iran Border
Security forces have also reported operations in Kech district, where Mand is located.
On September 25, security sources said forces detected militant movement in the Mazaband Range near the Pakistan-Iran border and launched an operation that prevented suspected militants from crossing into Iran. One militant was reported killed.
Express News carried the same account, saying the operation followed intelligence concerning militant movement near the border.
These operations form part of an intensified security campaign following an increase in militant violence across Balochistan.
Security Situation Remains Challenging
Balochistan has experienced a recent rise in militant attacks.
According to a monthly assessment by the Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies, cited by Dawn, the number of militant attacks in the province increased from 83 in July to 89 in August, a rise of about 7%.
The deteriorating security environment has prompted authorities to expand operations against militant networks and suspected hideouts.
President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif have separately praised security forces for the recent operations. Both reiterated the government’s commitment to continuing counterterrorism actions.
Local Reaction Requires Careful Attribution
The latest Mand story is primarily about public reaction following a reported security incident, rather than a detailed operational announcement.
Express News reports that residents featured in the coverage thanked security forces and emphasised civilian-security cooperation.
However, describing the reaction as the view of the entire “Baloch public” would be broader than the available evidence supports.
A more precise formulation is that residents in Mand featured in the report expressed gratitude to security forces after authorities said an attack had been thwarted.
The broader security context — including recent operations and the reported deaths of 33 militants since September 21 — is more extensively documented through military statements and independently reported by multiple Pakistani news organisations.
