New Delhi: Baloch separatists killed at least four police officers in a planned “coordinated attack” in five districts of Pakistan. The attacks involved gunmen and suicide bombers, reports said.
The violence was reported from Quetta, Pasni, Mastung, Nushti and Gwadar districts. According a senior security official, “AT least four cops were killed in Quetta alone”.
‘A poorly executed attack’
The incident triggered heightened security across the region, with emergency teams deployed in several cities. The officials said that assessments and have not revealed a complete report of casualties.
One of the officials claimed that the attack was “coordinated by was poorly executed. He stated that the insurgents could not inflict damage due to the immediate security response.
Separatists claim responsibility
Speaking to the AFP, the state’s separatist outfit, Baloch Liberation Army claimed responsibility for the attacks. The group said it had deliberately targetted military installations as well as police and civil administration officials.
Pakistan has faced a separatist insurgency in Balochistan for decades. Militants in the mineral-rich province, which borders Afghanistan and Iran, have frequently targeted security forces, government facilities, foreign nationals and non-local workers.
The Baloch Liberation Army
The Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), also known as the Baloch Liberation Army, is a Baloch ethnonationalist militant organisation operating primarily in the Baluchistan region spanning southern Afghanistan and southeastern Iran. The group carries out attacks mainly in Pakistan’s Balochistan province, which it seeks to separate from Pakistani sovereignty.
The BLA frequently targets Pakistani security forces, civilians, and foreign nationals. Its first recorded activity dates back to mid-2000, when it claimed responsibility for a series of bombings aimed at Pakistani authorities.
The organisation is designated as a terrorist group by several countries and entities, including Pakistan, China, Iran, the United Kingdom, the United States, and the European Union.