Pakistani security forces said they killed another 22 militants in southwestern Balochistan on Monday, pushing the death toll from a four-day military offensive to 177 as authorities battle a surge in insurgent violence.
The latest deaths occurred during an ongoing security sweep launched after coordinated attacks struck 12 locations across Balochistan on Saturday, a security official told Anadolu on condition of anonymity.
The outlawed Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) has claimed responsibility for the attacks, which killed 31 civilians and 17 members of the security forces, according to officials.
Operations began on Friday and have been accompanied by sweeping security measures.
Mobile and internet services remain suspended in the provincial capital Quetta and several other districts, and train services to other parts of Pakistan have been halted for a third straight day.
Balochistan Additional Chief Secretary Hamza Shafqaat said connectivity is expected to be restored on Tuesday.
Increasing operations against militants
The escalation comes amid a broader spike in militant violence nationwide.
Combat-related deaths rose 43 percent in January compared with December, according to data released Monday.
A total of 361 people were killed last month, including 242 militants, 73 civilians, and 46 security personnel, figures from the Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies show. At least 135 others were wounded.
January also saw 87 terror attacks across the country, up 28 percent from December. Of those, 27 occurred in Balochistan, making the mineral-rich province the main theater of operations despite being relatively calm earlier in the month.
