In the last two days, Baloch insurgent groups have taken responsibility for a series of lethal attacks on Pakistani military personnel in Balochistan, reportedly resulting in the deaths of at least 27 soldiers, as per the Balochistan Post. The Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) stated that its Fateh Squad hit a military transport bus in the Nimargh Cross area of Kalat, killing 27 troops and wounding several more.
The bus was said to be transporting personnel from Karachi to Quetta. BLA spokesperson Jeeyand Baloch mentioned that the civilians on board, including qawwali performers, were not the intended targets, although Dawn reported three civilian fatalities, which included two qawwals.
In another event, the BLA asserted that they killed two soldiers and injured seven using a remote-controlled IED in Hazarganji, Quetta.
The Balochistan Liberation Front (BLF) also declared two distinct operations. On Tuesday, it reported that an IED explosion in Khazina, Kalat, resulted in the deaths of four soldiers. On Wednesday, it claimed to have ambushed a military unit in Gujro Kor, Awaran, killing six, including Major Syed Rab Nawaz Tariq from Muzaffarabad.
Later, a sniper team opened fire on a nearby military convoy, causing it to retreat.
The BLF rejected state media claims that three of its "fighters" were killed, suggesting that Pakistani forces might have fabricated the encounters.
Balochistan has seen a prolonged insurgency from separatist groups striving for independence from Pakistan, with Islamabad asserting that the rebellion has mostly been quelled, a statement contested by ongoing militant violence.
