More than 70 killed in Pakistan’s Balochistan province in coordinated attacks by militant group

Asia-Pacific, News August 27, 2024 , by IRIA No Comments

4 minute read

Pakistan’s southwestern province of Balochistan witnessed a horrific surge in violence with more than 70 people killed in four separate assaults, according to military and police officials. The attacks, which targeted civilians, security forces, and infrastructure, have sparked outrage across the country and raised concerns about the escalating conflict in the region.

The deadliest of the attacks occurred in Bela, a town in Lasbela district, where militants ambushed vehicles on a major highway. In the ensuing battle, 14 soldiers and police officers were killed, alongside 21 militants, the military reported. The attack, which took place on a key route connecting Balochistan to the Punjab province, highlights the increasing boldness of militant groups in the area.

In a separate incident in Musakhel district, at least 23 civilians were brutally killed after attackers singled them out for being from Punjab. Local officials reported that the assailants set fire to 35 vehicles, leaving a trail of destruction in their wake. “Vehicles traveling to and from Punjab were inspected, and individuals from Punjab were identified and shot,” said Najibullah Kakar, a senior security official in Musakhel.

Kalat district also witnessed bloodshed, with 10 people, including five police officers and five civilians, killed in an attack on a police post and a nearby highway. The widespread nature of the assaults underlines the deteriorating security situation in Balochistan.

On the same day, rail traffic to Quetta, the provincial capital, was suspended after explosions damaged a rail bridge in the town of Bolan. The blasts severed links not only to the rest of Pakistan but also to neighboring Iran, according to railways official Muhammad Kashif. Police later discovered six unidentified bodies near the site of the attack on the railway bridge, adding to the grim toll of the day.

The Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), a prominent militant group in the region, has claimed responsibility for the attacks, which it said were aimed at military personnel traveling in civilian clothes. In a statement, the BLA warned civilians to stay away from highways in the province, further exacerbating fears among the local population.

Separatist militants conducted deadly attacks in Balochistan — ^{A view shows charred vehicles after separatist militants conducted deadly attacks in Balochistan province, Pakistan on August 26, 2024, in this screengrab obtained from a video. (Image Credit: Reuters TV/via Reuters)}

Pakistan’s Ministry of Interior, however, disputed the BLA’s claims, asserting that the victims were innocent citizens. The violence drew swift condemnation from national leaders. President Asif Ali Zardari and Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi both labeled the Musakhel attack as “barbaric” and vowed that those responsible would face justice. Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti echoed these sentiments, promising to bring the attackers to justice.

Uzma Bukhari, a spokesperson for the Punjab provincial government, called the assaults “a matter of grave concern” and urged the Balochistan provincial government to intensify efforts to eliminate BLA terrorists. Local media reported that security forces have already killed 12 rebel fighters across the province in the past 24 hours, as the government steps up its response to the escalating violence.

Balochistan has long been plagued by a simmering rebellion, with several armed groups, including the BLA, fighting for secession. The resource-rich but impoverished province has seen frequent attacks on laborers from Punjab, who are often targeted by militants seeking to disrupt development projects in the region. Previous attacks by the BLA include the killing of seven barbers in Gwadar in May and the abduction and murder of several people from a highway in April.

As the violence in Balochistan escalates, the federal and provincial governments face mounting pressure to restore security and bring an end to the long-running insurgency that has claimed countless lives and destabilized the region.