92 militants, 15 security personnel killed in ops across Pak's Balochistan

At least 92 militants were killed on Saturday in clashes with Pakistan’s security forces across the southwestern province of Balochistan, according to a Reuters report. 15 security personnel also lost their lives during ongoing operations. Militants also targeted civilians in several places, killing at least 18 people, including women and children.

Where did the attacks take place?

According to the report, armed attackers struck several cities and towns, including Quetta, the provincial capital, and the port city of Gwadar. The violence was reported from many parts of Balochistan, including Mastung, Noshki, Dalbandin, Kharan, Panjgur, Tump, and Pasni.

 

This led to large-scale operations by the army, police and counterterrorism teams. Hospitals in some districts were put on high alert.

 

Who carried out the attacks?

The banned separatist group Baloch Liberation Army, or BLA, claimed responsibility for the attacks. The group said the strikes were carried out at the same time across the province and claimed it had killed dozens of security personnel.

Widespread unrest across provinces

In Gwadar, militants attacked a camp housing migrant workers, killing 11 people, including men, women and children, the report said. Security forces later killed six militants in the area.

 

Officials said the situation was especially tense in Noshki after militants kidnapped the district’s top civil officer. Authorities also reported that armed men temporarily blocked roads in parts of Quetta and that an explosion was heard near a high-security zone. The situation was later brought under control.

Earlier military operations

These latest operations came a day after Pakistani security forces killed 41 militants in two separate operations in Panjgur and Harnai districts of Balochistan on Thursday and Friday. The attacks continued from late Friday night till Saturday afternoon.

Rising conflict in Balochistan

Balochistan is Pakistan’s poorest province despite being rich in natural resources. The region lags behind the rest of the country in education, jobs, and development.

 

Baloch separatist groups have increased attacks in recent years, targeting people from other provinces and foreign energy companies, whom they accuse of exploiting local resources.

 

Data from the Centre for Research and Security Studies (CRSS) showed that deaths in the province rose from 787 to 956, marking an increase of nearly 22 per cent, PTI reported.