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3mo ago

30 Dead in Balochistan as Pakistani Forces Clash With Separatist Fighters

Violence escalates in Pakistan's resource-rich Balochistan province, with insurgents targeting security personnel in a deadly overnight confrontation.

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Commuters ride past a bank set ablaze by militants at Kalat district, in Pakistan's Balochistan province on February 1, 2025. Eighteen paramilitaries were killed and three others seriously wounded in an attack in Pakistan's southwest Balochistan province, police and the military said on February 1. (Photo by AFP)
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A fight between security forces and militants in Pakistan's unstable Balochistan region in the southwest resulted in the deaths of at least 18 security officers and 12 terrorists.

Overview

  • At least 18 Pakistani security personnel and 12 to 24 insurgents were killed in clashes in the Mangochar area of Kalat district, Balochistan, late January 31 into February 1.
  • The violence began when separatist fighters attempted to set up roadblocks on a key highway and attacked a vehicle carrying paramilitary troops.
  • The Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) claimed responsibility for the attack, describing it as part of their ongoing separatist campaign for independence in the region.
  • Pakistani military operations are ongoing, with officials vowing to bring those responsible to justice and eliminate militant activity in the province.
  • Balochistan has long been plagued by a separatist insurgency, with ethnic Baloch groups accusing the central government of exploitation and discrimination in the resource-rich but underdeveloped region.