Islamabad, Pakistan – Pakistani security officials announced that at least 67 militants were killed during fierce clashes
with security forces in several cities in the southwestern province of Balochistan,
following coordinated attacks by armed groups in various parts of the province.
Four security officials, speaking to Reuters on condition of anonymity, said the attacks also resulted
in the deaths of approximately 10 police and security personnel, as well as 11 civilians, while 24 police officers sustained injuries.
They explained that the army, police, and counter-terrorism units responded swiftly to the attacks
and launched extensive security operations to contain the situation.
Foiling armed plots
Pakistani Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi condemned the attacks in an official statement, describing them as “terrorist,”
while simultaneously praising the performance of the security forces
and their ability to thwart the armed plots and kill dozens of attackers.
There was no immediate comment from the Pakistani military’s media office regarding the details of the operations.
These developments come just one day after the Pakistani military announced the killing of 41 militants in separate raids
in the same province, which has been facing a separatist insurgency for decades.
The banned Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) claimed responsibility for the attacks,
asserting that it carried out simultaneous operations across the province
and claiming to have killed 84 security personnel—figures that have not been officially confirmed by the authorities.
Eleven people killed, and an official kidnapped
The attacks targeted major cities, including Quetta, the provincial capital, and the coastal city of Gwadar,
where a camp housing migrant workers was attacked, killing 11 people,
including women and children, according to local officials.
The top civilian official in the Nushki district was also reportedly abducted,
as security operations and searches continued in the affected areas.
Balochistan, Pakistan’s largest and poorest province, has been plagued for years by violence perpetrated by Baloch armed groups.
Islamabad accuses foreign powers of supporting the insurgency, charges India denies.
