Baloch Republican Army (BRA) has said that a fighter of its have died in a battle with Pakistani forces.
According to details, on July 24, Muhammad Qazafi a member of BRA, a Baloch armed group, was killed in a long clash between Pakistani army and BRA fighters, in Buleda tehsil of Balochistan’s district Kech.
Beebagr Baloch the spokesman of BRA said that, in the skirmish, Commander Qazafi Baloch, while commanding the rest of his friends, fought the Pakistani forces with great courage and bravery. He embraced martyrdom while several security personnel were also killed in the long skirmish. Commander Qazafi alias Bahar Jan Baloch had been affiliated with the organization for the last five years, he added.
Whereas, in Kech district of Balochistan, on Saturday, Pakistani forces came under another armed attack.
Pakistan’s military said gunmen opened fire on a security vehicle as it patrolled the area of Pidarak, killing a soldier, Lance Naik Javed Kareem and wounding three others.
According to local sources, the clashes between the forces and the militants started on the morning of Saturday and continued till nightfall, while helicopters have also reached the area to assist the forces.
Meanwhile, Beebagr Baloch, the spokesperson for the BRA, has also claimed the killing of Aziz Mohammad Hassani, “the local head of the Death Squad,” by a landmine in Nimargh area of Kalat.
He further said that, Aziz had been spying on national activists since 2012, for which in 2016 he was arrested by Baloch fighters on charges of informing and was later released on bail for spying in the future, but he later became a regular member of the regional Death Squad, and has been involved in various military operations. While looting civilians in the area and harassing them.
Beebagr Baloch stated that Qambar Mengal, head of the state-backed Death Squad, is patronizing people like Aziz in the area. “We once again appeal to the people to stay away from Qambar Khan, since he can be targeted at any time”, he added.
Balochistan has for years been the scene of an insurgency by armed groups who complain of discrimination and genocide by Pakistan, and demand independence of the region.