Security forces kill militant commander in Qila Saifullah operation
Security forces killed Adil Shah, alias Darvesh, a commander of Fitna al-Khawarij, in an intelligence-based operation in Qila Saifullah, Balochistan, security sources said. They said 19 cases were registered against him and a Rs2.5 million bounty had been set.
- Adil Shah, alias Darvesh, was killed in an intelligence-based operation in Qila Saifullah, according to security sources
- Sources said 19 cases were registered against him and a Rs2.5 million bounty was announced
- The operation was part of Operation Radd-ul-Fitna 3 in Balochistan
Security forces killed a commander of Fitna al-Khawarij during an intelligence-based operation (IBO) in Qila Saifullah district of Balochistan, security sources said on Sunday. Radio Pakistan, Geo News and Aaj News carried the sources' account, as cited by The Express Tribune, Geo News and Business Recorder.
The sources identified him as Adil Shah, alias Darvesh. Fitna al-Khawarij is the term the state uses for the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan.
According to the sources, Shah had been associated with the group since December 2020 and had been handling its financial affairs since 2024. They also said he helped arrange accommodation for foreign or non-local militants in Zhob, Sherani and Shaban.
The sources said he took part in attacks on security forces and in kidnappings for ransom from 2022. Geo News quoted them as referring to 2022 and 2023, and Business Recorder also mentioned extortion.
They said 19 cases had been registered against him in anti-terrorism courts and that a bounty of Rs2.5 million had been placed on him. The operation formed part of security operations in Balochistan under Operation Radd-ul-Fitna 3, which the military's media wing has described as a counterterrorism campaign. Security sources repeated that operations in the province would continue until the last terrorist was eliminated.
The Express Tribune reported that, according to ACLED, attacks in Pakistan rose nearly fourfold to 2,425 in 2025 from 658 in 2022, and TTP attacks rose to 838 from 118. Geo News reported that Pakistan recorded its highest monthly number of militant attacks in 12 years in September 2026.
The Express Tribune also noted that 20 trainee police personnel were abducted last week while travelling between Kalat and Mastung. Geo News said Islamabad has repeatedly urged Kabul to stop its territory being used for attacks, while differences between the two sides remain unresolved after several rounds of talks.
Why it matters
Militant attacks and counter-terrorism operations affect security across Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, where the reports say attacks have increased in recent years.
