255 Killed, Including 22 Soldiers, in Deadly Clashes in Pakistan

In Pakistan’s Balochistan province, a three-day-long military operation has resulted in the deaths of 197 members of the Baloch Liberation Army, at least 22 Pakistani soldiers responsible for security, and 36 civilian casualties including children, due to clashes between both sides. Altogether, the total death toll has risen to 255.

This information was published in a report by the news outlet Geo News on Wednesday (February 4).

According to the report, following clashes across Balochistan on January 31, a military operation was launched. On that day, the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) carried out coordinated attacks in 12 cities and towns across the province. In those attacks, 17 security personnel and 31 civilians were killed.

By the end of the week, attacks were also carried out in various areas including Quetta, Mastung, Nushki, Dalbandin, Kharan, Panjgur, Tump, Gwadar, and Pasni. Pakistani security sources stated that over the past three days of clashes in Balochistan, a total of 36 civilians, including women and children, have been killed.

Immediately after the attacks, Pakistan’s security forces and law enforcement agencies launched extensive clearance operations across the province. In the first phase of these operations, 92 people were killed, including three suicide bombers.

In a statement, the media wing of the Pakistan Army, ISPR, said that militants of “Fitna al-Hindustan” brutally killed at least 18 innocent civilians, including women, children, elderly people, and laborers. The objective of these attacks was to disrupt normal life and development activities in Balochistan.

ISPR further stated that the security forces, displaying unwavering courage and professional competence, successfully thwarted the militants’ malicious attempts. However, due to intense clashes and prolonged face-to-face combat, 15 security personnel were killed on the same day.

Subsequently, sanitization operations were carried out in the affected areas to bring the planners, facilitators, and supporters of the attacks under the purview of the law.

ISPR stated that intelligence reports have clearly established evidence that these attacks were planned and directed by militant leaders based outside Pakistan, and throughout the incidents they remained in direct contact with the attackers.

In recent years, the Baloch Liberation Army has intensified attacks on Pakistani citizens from other provinces working in Balochistan, as well as on foreign energy companies. Last year, the organization attacked a passenger train carrying 450 passengers, leading to a situation resembling a two-day-long bloody confrontation.

The Government of Pakistan claims that India directly supports the Baloch Liberation Army. Therefore, the Pakistani government refers to the organization as “Fitna al-Hindustan.”