Pakistani security forces successfully eliminated 145 militants during a 40-hour intense battle prompted by a series of coordinated gun and bomb assaults in Balochistan that resulted in the deaths of nearly 50 individuals, as revealed by the province’s chief minister on Sunday. The southwestern region is currently grappling with one of the most severe escalations in recent years, with insurgents in the resource-rich area adjacent to Iran and Afghanistan intensifying attacks on security forces, civilians, and critical infrastructure.
Disguised as ordinary civilians, assailants infiltrated hospitals, schools, banks, and markets on Saturday, launching indiscriminate attacks, as disclosed by Pakistan’s junior interior minister Talal Chaudhry. Chaudhry further stated that militants utilized civilians as human shields during these assaults. The Baloch Liberation Army, a banned separatist group, claimed responsibility for the attacks, citing a coordinated operation named Herof or “black storm,” targeting security forces throughout the province.
In Quetta, the provincial capital, the aftermath of the attacks was evident through burnt-out vehicles, bullet-riddled doors at a police station, and cordoned-off streets. Security measures were significantly heightened following the incidents, with increased patrols and restricted movement by security forces.
Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti reported that 17 law enforcement personnel and 31 civilians lost their lives in the militant attacks. The military confirmed the deaths of 92 militants on Saturday and 41 on Friday. Bugti highlighted that preemptive actions were initiated based on intelligence reports indicating an impending operation.
The coordinated assaults were launched almost simultaneously across Quetta, Gwadar, Mastung, and Noshki districts, involving armed individuals targeting security installations, attempting suicide bombings, and temporarily blocking urban roads. Subsequently, extensive counter-operations were conducted by the army, police, and counterterrorism units.
Amid the chaos, private security guard Jamil Ahmed Mashwani recounted the harrowing experience of being attacked during the daytime. Balochistan, known as Pakistan’s largest and least affluent province, has been grappling with a prolonged insurgency led by ethnic Baloch separatists seeking greater autonomy and a larger share of natural resources.
Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif highlighted the involvement of female perpetrators in two attacks, emphasizing the shift towards targeting civilians, laborers, and marginalized communities by militants. The military assured that security forces effectively repelled attempts by militants to seize control of any city or strategic installation.
In response to the attacks, Pakistan’s military attributed them to “Indian-sponsored militants.” However, India refuted these claims, accusing Pakistan of deflecting attention from its internal issues. The United States condemned the acts as terrorist violence and expressed solidarity with Pakistan, denoting the Balochistan Liberation Army as a foreign terrorist organization.
Pakistan has been intermittently facing attacks by Islamist militants in various regions, including factions associated with the Pakistani Taliban.