Pakistan: Multiple casualties as Baloch separatists launch coordinated attacks across Balochistan | World News
A series of coordinated attacks in Pakistan’s southwestern Balochistan province on Saturday resulted in the deaths of at least four police officers and put many areas on high alert. Ethnic Baloch separatists claimed responsibility for these synchronized attacks targeting security installations and government centres.
Security forces were targeted in multi-regional attack
A senior security official in Quetta said the attacks included shootings and suicide attacks. The coordinated attack hit multiple key points simultaneously:
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- Quetta (State Capital)
- Gwadar (Port City)
- pasni
- mastung
- Nushki
“At least four police officers were killed in Quetta alone,” the official told AFP on condition of anonymity. Local authorities in at least four regions confirmed that the situation remained unstable and not fully under control as of Saturday evening.
Military tag attacks ‘poorly executed’
In Islamabad, military officials acknowledged the size of the operation but minimized its effectiveness. A senior military source, who confirmed that the attacks took place in several areas, described the militants’ efforts as “ineffective”.
“The attacks were coordinated but poorly executed,” the official said, noting that the limited damage was due to “poor planning and a rapid collapse under an effective security response.” The military has yet to conduct an official casualty count on its side.
BLA claimed responsibility for the riot
The Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), the region’s most prominent separatist group, issued a statement claiming responsibility for the violence. The group said its fighters targeted military outposts, police units and government officials as part of its ongoing push for the province’s autonomy.
Mineral-rich Balochistan, on the border of Afghanistan and Iran, has been facing decades of insurgency. Militants frequently attack security forces and foreign nationals, citing complaints about exploitation of the region’s natural resources.
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