Pakistan Army IBO in Barkhan Kills 7 'Indian-Backed' Fitna al-Hindustan Militants — Major Among 5 Soldiers Martyred

Troops of the Pakistan Army and Frontier Corps Balochistan conducted an area sanitization operation in the Nosham area of Barkhan District, Balochistan on May 13, 2026. ISPR stated the targets were members of 'Fitna al-Hindustan' — Pakistan's military umbrella label for militant groups it attributes to Indian sponsorship operating across Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Seven militants were killed in firefighting; five Pakistani security personnel were martyred: Major Tauseef Ahmed Bhatti (31), Naik Fida Hussain (36), Sepoy Zakir Hussain (32), Sepoy Suhail Ahmed (21), and Sepoy Muhammad Ayaz (24). Weapons, ammunition, and explosives were recovered. DG ISPR Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry released a statement on X explicitly attributing the militants to 'Indian-backed' foreign sponsorship. Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi issued condolences for the fallen soldiers. The operation is part of Pakistan's ongoing 'Azm-e-Istehkam' counter-terrorism campaign. India has denied any involvement in Balochistan militancy; New Delhi characterizes ISPR's 'Fitna al-Hindustan' framing as a fabricated narrative used to justify domestic repression and shift international blame.