Security forces initiated an operation after a coordinated militant attack in Balochistan on Saturday that resulted in the deaths of nearly 50 people
The country’s Interior Ministry has stated that at least 177 insurgents have been killed in a security crackdown in Pakistan following coordinated attacks that left more than 50 people dead.
The operation was announced on Sunday after attacks by the insurgent group, the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), at multiple locations across the southwestern province of Balochistan, which borders Iran and Afghanistan.
The assaults commenced early on Saturday and killed at least 31 civilians, including five women, as well as 17 members of the security forces, according to Al Jazeera.
Reports indicate that the number of militants killed over the past 48 hours in the response by the Pakistani authorities was the highest in decades.
Deadly Clashes In Balochistan Leave 193 Dead In Worst Violence In Decades
At least 145 militants and 48 others, including 17 law enforcement personnel, were killed in a series of clashes across Balochistan over the past 40 hours, Pakistan officials claimed on Sunday.…
— RT_India (@RT_India_news)
“Security forces, police, and intelligence agencies foiled the malicious intentions of terrorists by taking timely and effective action,” Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi said in a statement.
Pakistan’s government and military have alleged that the BLA receives support from India – an accusation that New Delhi has denied.
“We firmly reject the baseless allegations made by Pakistan, which are merely its typical tactics to divert attention from its own internal shortcomings,” Indian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said.
“Rather than repeating frivolous claims every time there is a violent incident, it would be better to focus on addressing the long-standing demands of its people in the region. Its record of suppression, brutality, and violation of human rights is well-known,” he posted on X.
The BLA was banned in Pakistan in 2009 under the country’s anti-terrorism laws. The insurgent group stated that the attacks were part of a coordinated operation named Herof (‘Black Storm’), targeting security forces across the province, according to Reuters.
Balochistan is Pakistan’s largest but least populated province and is home to key mining projects and the ethnic Baloch minority. The BLA has long been seeking the province’s independence from the central government in Islamabad.
Insurgents frequently target police and military forces in the region, as well as foreigners, especially Chinese nationals who are constructing infrastructure projects in Pakistan as part of Beijing’s Belt and Road Initiative. Islamist militants are also known to operate in the area.