Pakistan security forces kill 10 militants in Balochistan; botched car bomb kills civilians

Pakistani security forces have killed at least 10 militants during operations in the insurgency-hit southwestern province of Balochistan, the military said on Wednesday. The clashes are part of a broader government campaign against groups it labels as "Fitna Al Hindustan," a term used by authorities to describe Baloch separatist outfits that Islamabad alleges receive support from India. New Delhi has consistently denied these accusations.

In a separate incident on the same day, a car bomb detonated prematurely in the Surab district of Balochistan. The explosion killed three civilians who were at a nearby home, as well as eight militants who were in the process of rigging the explosives. The military also reported that two soldiers were wounded in the earlier clashes.

Balochistan, Pakistan's largest province by area but its least populated, has long been the epicentre of a separatist insurgency led by the outlawed Baloch Liberation Army (BLA). The group has repeatedly targeted security forces, Chinese interests, and infrastructure projects in recent years. The province has also witnessed attacks by the Pakistani Taliban, a separate militant faction that maintains ties with the Afghan Taliban.