Pakistani army kills over 140 people in two days of clashes in Balochistan

Islamabad (The Uttam Hindu): In Pakistan’s Balochistan province, security forces killed 145 people during a military operation that lasted nearly 40 hours, according to local media reports. Provincial Chief Minister Sarfaraz Bugti said the action was taken in response to a series of coordinated gun and bomb attacks across the region.

As per the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), 92 militants were killed during the operation. At the same time, reports confirmed the deaths of 15 civilians. Pakistan’s leading newspaper Express Tribune published the details of the operation.

Chief Minister Sarfaraz Bugti said that 17 personnel from various security agencies, including police and the Frontier Corps, lost their lives in the attacks. In addition, one naval officer was also killed. In total, 31 people from security forces and civilians died, while several others were injured.

This is being described as one of the most intense waves of violence in recent years in Balochistan, Pakistan’s southwestern province. The region is rich in natural resources and shares borders with Iran and Afghanistan.

Deputy Interior Minister Talal Chaudhry said the attackers entered hospitals, schools, banks, and markets disguised as civilians before opening fire. He claimed that innocent shop workers were deliberately targeted and that civilians were used as human shields during the attacks.

Responsibility for the violence has been claimed by the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA). The group said it carried out a coordinated operation named “Herof” or “Black Storm”, targeting security forces across Balochistan. The BLA claimed it killed over 80 security personnel and captured 18 others.

Balochistan is Pakistan’s largest but poorest province and has faced an armed insurgency for decades. Separatist Baloch groups have long demanded greater autonomy and a larger share in the province’s natural resources.