At least 10 security personnel and 37 insurgents were killed after Baloch Liberation Army carried out what it described as a coordinated series of attacks across Pakistan’s southwestern province of Balochistan on Tuesday. The attacks, involving gunfire and suicide bombings, were reported across more than a dozen locations in multiple districts, underscoring the persistent volatility in the mineral-rich region.

Senior security officials said the assaults targeted military installations as well as police and civil administration personnel. While officials confirmed casualties among security forces and insurgents, they maintained that there were no reports of civilian deaths at the time of filing this report. Security has since been tightened across key urban centres and sensitive installations, with emergency response teams deployed in several cities.

Attacks Across Multiple Districts

According to officials quoted by AFP, the attacks took place in at least five districts, including Quetta, Pasni, Mastung, Nushki and Gwadar. A senior security official based in Quetta said the insurgents launched near-simultaneous gun and suicide attacks at more than 12 locations early in the day, pointing to a deliberate attempt to stretch security forces across the province.

Providing details of the toll, the official said 37 militants had been killed in security operations launched in response, while 10 security personnel were martyred and several others injured. At least four police officers were killed in Quetta alone, highlighting the intensity of the clashes in the provincial capital. The official spoke on condition of anonymity, citing lack of authorisation to brief the media.

Local authorities said roads were sealed in sensitive areas, checkpoints were reinforced, and aerial surveillance was stepped up as part of counter-insurgency measures. Hospitals in affected districts were placed on high alert to handle casualties from the violence.

BLA Claims Responsibility, Cites ‘Operation Herof’

The Baloch Liberation Army claimed responsibility for the attacks, stating that the objective was to target military infrastructure and officials linked to the police and civil administration. According to reports carried by ANI, citing The Balochistan Post, the group described the assault as the second phase of its campaign, named “Operation Herof”.

The group has previously said the operation was aimed at what it called the defence of the “motherland”, a reference to its long-standing demand for greater autonomy or independence for Balochistan. The latest violence appears to mark an escalation in both scale and coordination compared with recent attacks, even as officials insisted the militants failed to achieve their intended impact.

A senior official, confirming the incidents, described the attacks as “coordinated but poorly executed”. He said the swift response by security forces prevented significant damage to key installations and led to the rapid neutralisation of the attackers. “The attacks failed due to poor planning and rapid collapse under an effective security response,” the official said.

Long-Running Insurgency And Security Challenges

Despite the official assessment, the situation in parts of Balochistan remained tense, with reports indicating that security operations were still under way and normalcy had yet to be fully restored. Authorities have urged residents to avoid sensitive areas and cooperate with law enforcement agencies as sweeps continue.

Balochistan has for decades been the epicentre of a separatist insurgency rooted in political grievances, economic marginalisation, and disputes over the control of natural resources. The province, which borders Afghanistan and Iran, is strategically important due to its vast mineral wealth and its coastline along the Arabian Sea. Rebel groups have repeatedly targeted security forces, infrastructure projects, and, at times, foreign nationals and workers from outside the region.

The latest attacks come amid heightened security concerns in Pakistan, as authorities grapple with militant violence across multiple provinces. Analysts say the events in Balochistan highlight the enduring challenge faced by the state in addressing the underlying causes of unrest, even as it continues to rely on robust security measures to contain insurgent activity.

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