On Thursday, the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) attacked two posts in Pakistan’s southwest province neutralizing more than 100 Pakistani persons and destroying a large part of their camps. The attack took place late on Wednesday in Panjgur and Nushki in Balochistan province.
The attacks took place late on Wednesday, targeting two paramilitary posts in the towns of Panjgur and Naushki. The BLA issued an official statement confirming that the major parts of both the camps were still under their control. “Baloch fidayees have so far killed more than 100 enemy personnel. Large parts of camps are completely destroyed. Backup troops have arrived for the enemy forces, however, they have failed to weaken fidayee positions inside the camp,” the statement read.
Statement from Baloch Liberation Army says that the group has killed more than 100 Pakistani soldiers during attacks on military bases in Panjgur and Nushki of occupied Baluchistan. #BLA pic.twitter.com/UbV7SaaCDY
— Habib Khan (@HabibKhanT) February 3, 2022
“After the successful major attack by Fidayeens, the occupying state has banned its media from reporting events. It has also disconnected all telecommunication networks. Pakistani military’s ISPR is claiming today’s attack were repulsed, this is a complete lie and BLA’s today’s operations are still underway with full intensity,” BLA added.
#BLA claims to have killed over 100 Pakistani soldiers in 2 major attacks in #Panjgur & #Noshki capturing FC bases.#Pakistan Interior Minister Sheikh Rasheed confirmed the operation still going on.
— Bashir Ahmad Gwakh (@bashirgwakh) February 3, 2022
Last night ISPR had claimed the attacks were repulsed & 4 attackers were killed. pic.twitter.com/WQrpSFZxi2
BLA also said that the Pakistani military claiming to have repulsed the attack is a complete lie, and added that the attack was still on.
Meanwhile, the Pakistan military’s media wing Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) has denied the intensity of the attack and declared a reduced number of persons killed. Pakistan’s Interior Minister Sheikh Rasheed Ahmad stated that only 15 militants and 4 Pakistani soldiers had lost their lives as ‘terrorists’ attempted to enter the security force’s camp in Panjgur and Naushki.
He further added that 15 attackers were put to death and four or five of them were still active in Panjgur. In a video statement, he said that Pakistani forces were continuing operations against them.
3 جنوری2022
— Sheikh Rashid Ahmed (@ShkhRasheed) February 3, 2022
پنجگوراورنوشکی میں سکیورٹی فورسزکے کیمپوں پردہشت گردحملوں
پر اہم پیغام جاری.@OfficialDGISPR @GovtofPakistan @PTVNewsOfficial pic.twitter.com/q4wcxuw6XT
Pakistan’s Prime Minister Imran Khan also saluted the ‘brave’ security forces who were killed in Panjgur and Naushki. “The nation stands united behind our security forces who continue to give great sacrifices to protect us”, he tweeted.
We salute our brave security forces who repulsed terrorist attacks against security forces’ camps in Panjgur & Naushki, Balochistan. The nation stands united behind our security forces who continue to give great sacrifices to protect us.
— Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) February 3, 2022
The province of Balochistan is the largest, least populous and the poorest in Pakistan. Baloch groups have targeted security forces and civilians in regular raids across the province, demanding their rights and independence for ethnic Baloch areas of the province.
The tension has further been stoked by the Chinese investments under Beijing’s Belt and Road Initiative, which according to the reports have never reached to the locals. Wednesday’s attack comes a day before Prime Minister Imran Khan left for the opening ceremony of the Winter Olympic Games in Beijing, where he is supposed to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping and other leaders.
