BLA attacks leave 50 people dead in Balochistan
Full-blown insurgency continues as gunmen go on rampage across the province; ISPR says 21 insurgents and 14 security personnel killed
IN a rather definitive proof that Balochistan is facing a full-blown insurgency, a whopping 50 people, including 14 security personnel, were killed after dozens of militants belonging to the banned Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) — a separatist outfit — went on a rampage across the province. They shot dead innocent travellers, stormed police stations and set almost three dozen vehicles afire.
In subsequent operations 21 militants were ‘neutralised’ by the security forces, according to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR). Balochistan’s Chief Minister Sarfaraz Bugti and federal Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi vowed to crush terrorism in the province.
In the latest flare-up of violence, the insurgents launched numerous attacks on Sunday midnight, targeting security personnel as well as civilians, particularly those hailing from Punjab. They attacked police stations, a paramilitary camp in Bela, Levies stations, and blocked key roads, including the Coastal Highway.
In Musakhail district, they shot dead 23 people after checking their identity documents. “We found 23 bullet-riddled bodies lying by a roadside,” SSP Ayub Achakzai told ‘Dawn’. In addition to the passengers, the victims included truck drivers who were on their way to Punjab via the Loralai-Dera Ghazi Khan Highway.
Trucks loaded with coal and fruits were also set on fire by the militants. “As many as 35 trucks, passenger vehicles, pick-ups and other vehicles were set on fire on the highway near Rara Sham,” the police officer said.
Musakhail Assistant Commissioner Mujeeb Kakar said about 35 to 40 assailants armed with automatic weapons intercepted dozens of vehicles and pulled 23 travellers from buses before shooting them dead on the basis of their ethnic identity.
In Khadkocha, a group of insurgents, after blocking the highway, stormed the police station and took Levies officials hostage for several hours. The assailants managed to escape after security forces arrived at the scene but not before setting the premises on fire.
In Kalat, militants attacked a Levies Force station, two hotels, and the residence of a tribal elder besides setting alight a toll plaza on the national highway.
In the exchange of fire, 11 people, including four Levies officials and a police sub-inspector, perished whereas nine people, including Kalat Assistant Commissioner Aftab Lasi, were injured.
In Bolan’s Kolpur area, six bodies were recovered. Security officials believed they too were shot dead by militants.
In Lasbela, the insurgents stormed a camp of the Frontier Corps after ramming an explosive-laden vehicle into its main gate and entering the premises under the cover of heavy gunfire.
Similarly, militants blocked several highways in Mastung, Kalat, Bela, Turbat, and Panjgur in addition to the all-important Coastal Highway, which connects Karachi with Gwadar. The militants blew up a railway bridge near Kolpur, cutting off Quetta from the rest of the country and another track near Mastung, disconnecting the rail link with Iran.
Subsequently, all passenger trains to Punjab, Karachi, Peshawar, and Chaman were cancelled while goods trains for Iran were also stopped.
‘14 martyred’
In a statement issued on Monday, the ISPR said ‘21 terrorists’ were killed while 14 soldiers, including four law enforcers, embraced martyrdom. “Security forces and law enforcement agencies immediately responded and successfully thwarted the evil design(s) of terrorists and sent twenty-one terrorists to hell in ensuing clearance operations, ensuring security and protection of local populace,” the ISPR said.
“However, during the conduct of operations, fourteen brave sons of the soil, including ten security forces soldiers, and four personnel of law enforcement agencies, having fought gallantly, made the ultimate sacrifice and embraced shahadat.” The military’s media wing said sanitisation operations were being conducted and the instigators, perpetrators, facilitators, and abettors of these heinous and cowardly acts, targeting innocent civilians, would be brought to justice.
Meanwhile, the banned BLA claimed responsibility for the attacks. In a statement, the banned outfit said the Majeed brigade carried out the attacks and two suicide bombers, including a female attacker, targeted the FC camp in Bela. The pictures of the bombers were released on its social media site; they were identified as Mahal Baloch alias Zalan Kurd, a resident of Gwadar district, and Rizwan Baloch alias Hammal, also a resident of Gwadar.