Pakistan forces kill 145 Baloch insurgents after 40-hour battle
What's the story
Pakistani security forces killed 145 insurgents in a 40-hour battle after a series of coordinated gun and bomb attacks across Balochistan. The violence has left 17 law enforcement personnel and 31 civilians dead, according to the province's Chief Minister Mir Sarfraz Ahmed Bugti. In a statement, the separatist group Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) claimed responsibility for the attacks, which they called "Herof" or "black storm."
Attack details
Insurgents attacked security installations
Pakistani media quoted officials as saying that the attacks were launched almost simultaneously across Quetta, Gwadar, Mastung, and Noshki districts. Armed men opened fire at security installations, including a Frontier Corps headquarters, and attempted suicide bombings. The Pakistan military said it killed 92 militants on Saturday and 41 on Friday. Bugti claimed the latest militant death toll marks the highest in such a short span since the insurgency's escalation, though he offered no comparative data.
International response
India rejected Pakistan's allegations of involvement
Earlier, Pakistan's military linked India to the attacks, a claim India staunchly denied on Sunday. Indian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal rejected the allegations and urged Islamabad to address "long-standing demands of its people in the region." The United States has condemned the attacks, with US Charge d'Affaires Natalie Baker calling them acts of terrorist violence.
Civilian impact
BLA claimed to have killed 84 security personnel
Pakistan's Defence Minister Khawaja Asif said two of the attacks involved female perpetrators, and militants were increasingly targeting civilians. Balochistan has faced a decades-long insurgency led by ethnic Baloch separatists seeking greater autonomy and a larger share of its natural resources. An initial claim by the group, that remains unverified, stated that it killed 84 members of Pakistan's security forces and captured 18 others, but this claim has not been independently verified.