45 Pakistani Soldiers Killed in Balochistan Attack

Pakistani separatist group Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) has claimed responsibility for an attack on a security convoy in Balochistan province, killing 45 Pakistani soldiers.

The attack occurred on Thursday in the Mastung area, according to Indian media outlet The Print, citing Balochistan Post.

The Pakistani military has confirmed the attack but has not released an official casualty count.

In a statement, BLA spokesperson Jeand Baloch said the group’s Fateh Squad had carried out a coordinated attack on the security convoy, its security team, and additional military forces that arrived at the scene.

He claimed that fighting was still ongoing and that the number of dead and injured could rise.

This is the third major attack on security forces in Balochistan in the past two weeks. Previously, 27 police officers were killed in a coordinated attack in the Mungi Dam area of Jiyarat district, and 11 soldiers were killed in Lasbela.

Following these incidents, the Pakistani military launched Operation Shaban, which involves the army, Frontier Corps, Balochistan police, and intelligence agencies, with air support.

Pakistani military spokesperson Lieutenant General Ahmed Sarif Chaudhry warned that those responsible for the attack would be hunted down and that military action would be severe and decisive.

Balochistan is Pakistan’s largest but least populated province, with a long-running separatist insurgency demanding greater autonomy and control over natural resources.

The province is also strategically important due to the Chinese-funded Gwadar port and its location.

The Pakistani government has formed a four-member committee to investigate the attack, which will look into the incident, possible command weaknesses, security arrangements, and coordination between different security agencies.