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QUETTA, Pakistan – A harrowing 40-hour standoff in Pakistan’s Balochistan province concluded Sunday with security forces reportedly killing 145 militants. The intense engagement followed a series of coordinated gun and bomb attacks that claimed the lives of nearly 50 individuals, according to the province’s chief minister.
Authorities in the southwestern province are grappling with one of the deadliest surges in violence in years. Insurgents in this resource-rich region, which borders Iran and Afghanistan, have escalated their assaults on security forces, civilians, and critical infrastructure.
The attacks, described by Pakistan’s junior interior minister Talal Chaudhry, saw attackers disguise themselves as ordinary civilians before entering hospitals, schools, banks, and markets on Saturday and opening fire. “In each case, the attackers came in dressed as civilians and indiscriminately targeted ordinary people working in shops,” Chaudhry stated, adding that militants had used civilians as human shields.
The banned separatist group, the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), has claimed responsibility for the assaults, dubbing their coordinated operation “Herof,” or “black storm.” The BLA stated their targets were security forces across the province.
In Quetta, the provincial capital, the aftermath painted a stark picture: burnt-out vehicles at a police station, bullet-riddled doors, and streets cordoned off with yellow tape as security forces heightened patrols and restricted movement.
Chief Minister of Balochistan Sarfraz Bugti confirmed that 17 law enforcement personnel and 31 civilians were killed in the militant attacks. Pakistan’s military reported killing 92 militants on Saturday and an additional 41 on Friday.
“We had intelligence reports that this kind of operation was being planned, and as a result of those, we started pre-operations a day before,” Bugti explained. He noted that the recent militant death toll is the highest in such a short span since the insurgency intensified, though he did not provide comparative figures.
Province-Wide Coordinated Attacks
Officials reported that the militant assaults were launched almost simultaneously across Quetta, Gwadar, Mastung, and Noshki districts. Armed individuals reportedly opened fire at security installations, including a Frontier Corps headquarters, attempted suicide bombings, and briefly blocked urban roads, prompting extensive counter-operations by the army, police, and counterterrorism units.
Outside a damaged shop, private security guard Jamil Ahmed Mashwani recounted the attackers striking shortly after midday, stating, “They hit me on my face and head.”
Balochistan, Pakistan’s largest and poorest province, has been plagued by a decades-long insurgency led by ethnic Baloch separatists demanding greater autonomy and a larger share of the region’s natural resources.
The BLA claimed to have killed 84 members of Pakistan’s security forces and captured 18 others. Reuters could not independently verify these claims, and the military did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif revealed that two of the attacks involved female perpetrators and emphasized the militants’ increasing targeting of civilians, laborers, and low-income communities. The military maintained that security forces successfully repelled attempts by militants to seize control of any city or strategic installation.
Claims and Blame
Pakistan’s military on Saturday attributed the attacks to “Indian-sponsored militants.” India, Pakistan’s long-standing rival, denied the assertion on Sunday, accusing Islamabad of diverting attention from its own internal issues.
“We categorically reject the baseless allegations made by Pakistan,” stated Indian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal, adding that Islamabad should instead address “long-standing demands of its people in the region.”
The United States condemned the attacks, with U.S. Charge d’Affaires Natalie Baker labeling them acts of terrorist violence and expressing Washington’s solidarity with Pakistan. The Balochistan Liberation Army is designated by the U.S. as a foreign terrorist organization.
Pakistan has also faced periodic attacks by Islamist militants elsewhere in the country, including factions linked to the Pakistani Taliban.