Almost 200 separatists killed after attacks in Pakistan
Pakistani security forces have reportedly killed nearly 200 separatist insurgents in the southwestern province of Balochistan following a series of coordinated attacks over the past weekend, pushing the total death toll from the fighting past 250, officials said Wednesday.
The wave of attacks targeted banks, jails, police stations, and military installations, and clashes between government forces and militants continued in some districts even after authorities regained control. At least 36 civilians and 22 security personnel were reportedly killed during the incidents.
The Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), Pakistan’s most active separatist militant group, claimed responsibility for the assaults, stating that its operations targeted military and police facilities, as well as civil administration officials. The United States has designated the BLA as a terrorist organization. In recent years, the group has intensified attacks against Pakistani workers from other provinces and foreign energy companies operating in the region.
Balochistan, rich in minerals and bordering Afghanistan and Iran, has experienced decades of insurgency, with frequent armed attacks on security forces, civilians, and foreign nationals.
Sarfraz Bugti, Chief Minister of Balochistan, said in a news conference in Quetta that the districts affected by the attacks had been cleared. “We are chasing them; we will not let them go so easily,” he affirmed.
The United Nations Security Council condemned the attacks, describing them as “heinous and cowardly” and extending condolences to the families of victims and the people of Pakistan. Funerals for some of the victims were scheduled for Wednesday afternoon.
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