At least 10 security personnel, five civilians, and over 50 militants were killed Saturday in a series of coordinated attacks by Baloch separatists across Pakistan’s southwestern province of Balochistan, officials reported.
A security source, speaking anonymously, said 58 insurgents were killed during subsequent clashes. The attacks targeted more than a dozen locations, including Quetta, Pasni, Mastung, Nushki, and Gwadar. Explosions were heard in Quetta as authorities imposed strict security measures, cleared streets, and closed shops.
The militant group Baloch Liberation Army claimed responsibility, citing longstanding grievances over resource exploitation and marginalisation in the mineral- and hydrocarbon-rich region.
The attacks follow Friday’s operations by the Pakistani military, which reportedly killed 41 separatists. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed support for the armed forces, praising their efforts to defend the nation.
Rail services were suspended, mobile networks disrupted, and residents were urged to remain indoors. The unrest highlights a spike in violence since the Taliban’s return to power in Afghanistan, exacerbating instability in Pakistan’s western border provinces.
According to the Islamabad Security Research Center, over 1,600 people, including soldiers and police, were killed in Balochistan in 2024 alone, marking one of the deadliest years in the ongoing insurgency.
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