Türkiye has condemned a terror attack in Pakistan’s Balochistan province, which killed at least 18 soldiers.
“We wish Allah’s mercy upon the martyred Pakistani soldiers and extend our condolences to the people of Pakistan,” the Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Saturday.
Türkiye also reaffirmed its support for Pakistan’s fight against terrorism.
Pakistani military reported that at least 18 Pakistani soldiers were killed in a fight in the southwestern area of the country and 24 terrorists were killed in operations in Balochistan since Friday.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Türkiye stands by Pakistan against terrorist actions that threaten peace and security during a meeting earlier with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on the sidelines of a summit of the Developing-8 (D-8) group in Cairo.
Sharp surge in militancy
The militants had tried to set up roadblocks overnight in the restive province of Balochistan and most of the deaths had taken place as security forces removed them, the military said.
The attack was claimed by the Baloch Liberation Army, a group behind rising violence in Balochistan province that borders Afghanistan and Iran.
Pakistan has seen a sharp surge in militancy in the first month of 2025 as militant attacks increased by 42 percent, according to the latest data.
The mineral-rich province, which borders Iran and Afghanistan, has been the scene of a decade-old insurgency by separatist ethnic Baloch groups and militants also operate there.
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