A Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) drone attack hit a Pakistan Army patrol in Mastung, killing Major Omer Minhas Nasir and Havildar Muhammad Adnan Khan.
This signals a shift in how insurgents operate, as militant outfits have progressively expanded their arsenal to deploy commercially modified quadcopters rigged with explosives.
Pakistani forces kill 8 BLA militants
Pakistani forces quickly responded by eliminating eight BLA militants, including a suspected suicide bomber, and seizing weapons.
Security has since been ramped up along key routes like the Quetta-Taftan highway under the Azm-e-Istehkam plan to crack down on militant groups and keep vital roads safe.