Pakistan has claimed that its security forces have killed 75 terrorists during a several-day operation launched after a series of deadly attacks on police, security personnel and civilians in the restive Balochistan province. The operation targeted the outlawed Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), which Islamabad blames for the attacks.According to the Balochistan government, the operation involving the Pakistani Army, Frontier Corps and police began late Monday night when dozens of alleged BLA fighters attacked a police post near Mangi Dam, a major reservoir that supplies water to millions of people in Quetta and surrounding areas.Pakistani officials claimed that nine policemen and 15 attackers were killed in the initial attack. They also alleged that the attackers abducted 18 police officers, who were later found blindfolded and shot after fleeing into the nearby mountains.The claim came a day after Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif visited Quetta, where he met the families of 42 people killed in the attacks.According to Pakistan’s Prime Minister’s Office, Sharif told the bereaved families that their sacrifices were “not in vain” and assured them that those responsible would be brought to justice.The latest violence has raised concerns over the growing reach of separatist groups operating in Balochistan, where security forces have been battling an insurgency for decades.The Balochistan government also announced a compensation of 11.1 million Pakistani rupees (about US$39,000) for the families of each police officer killed in the attacks.Balochistan, Pakistan’s largest but least populous province, has been witness to a long-running separatist insurgency led by ethnic Baluch groups demanding greater autonomy or independence. The province has also faced attacks from the TTP, a terrorist group separate from but affiliated with the Afghan Taliban.Pakistan says security operations are continuing in Balochistan, while independent verification of its claims regarding the number of terrorists killed and other operational details was not immediately available.