At least 18 Pakistani soldiers and 23 insurgents were killed in intense clashes in the restive northwestern region of Balochistan, officials said Saturday. The fighting erupted after separatist militants set up roadblocks on a key highway in Kalat, near the Afghanistan border.
The military reported that troops sustained casualties during the confrontation, but “successfully removed the roadblock” after an overnight operation. A military statement confirmed that 18 soldiers were killed, while security forces recovered the bodies of 12 insurgents. An additional 11 militants were killed in an ongoing operation, it said.
The attack comes amid a surge in militant violence in Pakistan. Officials said military and security forces witnessed a 40% increase in attacks in 2024 compared to the previous year. In December, the military reported eliminating 925 insurgents, the highest in five years, while 383 soldiers were killed in counter-insurgency operations in 2023.
Pakistan’s President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif condemned the latest attack and praised security forces for neutralizing the militants. Government leaders vowed to continue military operations in Balochistan until separatist insurgencies are dismantled.
The Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), a separatist group, claimed responsibility for the attack. BLA spokesperson Azad Baloch said in a statement that their fighters had “achieved their targeted objectives” and had also launched an assault on a military post in the region.
Security analysts say the latest attack signals an increasing operational capability of the BLA, which has been involved in multiple assaults targeting security forces and infrastructure. Abdullah Khan, director of the Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies, described the attack as one of the deadliest in the past year.
Balochistan, Pakistan’s largest yet least populated province, has long been the center of separatist insurgencies. The region, rich in oil and minerals, has seen periodic unrest, with militants targeting security forces, civilians, and foreign workers, especially Chinese nationals involved in multibillion-dollar infrastructure projects.
The BLA, reportedly backed by the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), has intensified attacks in recent years. Security officials believe both groups have acquired weapons that fell into their possession following the Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan in 2021. The Islamic State group also maintains a presence in the region, adding to security concerns.
