Pakistani security forces engaged in a 40-hour battle that resulted in the elimination of 145 militants following a series of coordinated gun and bomb attacks in Balochistan, leaving close to 50 individuals dead, as stated by the province’s chief minister on Sunday. The southwestern province is currently facing one of the most severe escalations in years, with insurgents intensifying attacks on security forces, civilians, and infrastructure in the resource-rich area bordering Iran and Afghanistan.
The attackers, disguised as ordinary civilians, infiltrated hospitals, schools, banks, and markets on Saturday, initiating indiscriminate shootings, as mentioned by Pakistan’s junior interior minister Talal Chaudhry. Chaudhry noted that the militants utilized civilians as human shields during the assaults. The Baloch Liberation Army, a banned separatist group, claimed responsibility for the attacks, referring to the operation as “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-ridden doors, and cordoned-off streets, with heightened security measures in place as security forces increased patrols and restricted movement in response.
Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti reported that 17 law enforcement officers and 31 civilians lost their lives in the militant attacks. Pakistan’s military disclosed that 92 militants were eliminated on Saturday, with an additional 41 neutralized on Friday. Bugti mentioned that preemptive actions were initiated based on intelligence reports forecasting such operations.
The recent casualties mark the highest number of militants eliminated in a short timeframe since the insurgency surged, according to Bugti, who did not provide comparative data. The coordinated assaults by militants unfolded almost simultaneously across Quetta, Gwadar, Mastung, and Noshki districts, targeting security installations and prompting extensive counter-operations by the army, police, and counterterrorism units.
Private security guard Jamil Ahmed Mashwani recounted the attack outside a damaged shop, describing the assailants’ assault during midday. Balochistan, Pakistan’s largest and most underprivileged province, has been grappling with a prolonged insurgency led by ethnic Baloch separatists advocating for greater autonomy and resource distribution.
Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif highlighted that some attacks involved female perpetrators, emphasizing militants’ shift towards targeting civilians, laborers, and low-income communities. The military asserted that security forces successfully repelled all attempts by militants to seize control of cities or strategic installations.
Regarding the attribution of the attacks, Pakistan’s military attributed them to “Indian-sponsored militants,” a claim refuted by India, which accused Pakistan of diverting attention from internal issues. The United States condemned the attacks, labeling them as terrorist acts, with U.S. deputy chief of mission Natalie Baker expressing solidarity with Pakistan. The U.S. designates the Balochistan Liberation Army as a foreign terrorist organization.
Pakistan has encountered sporadic attacks by Islamist militants in various regions, including factions affiliated with the Pakistani Taliban.