TBP Editorial
Balochistan is home to an armed struggle for independence for last two decades, but a dramatic uptick in attacks against Pakistani military has been noticed in last few days. The Pakistani Army suffered heavy losses in these attacks in Quetta, Kech, Khuzdar, Hub, Kohlu, Kalat and Noshki. At least two of the attacks were major, in which the Pakistani military also lost senior officers.
On the night of 23rd December, a convoy of Frontier Corps was ambushed by armed assailants in Gokdan, Turbat. Four including a Subaidar were killed in the attack. Later on 25 December, a convoy of Pakistani military was targeted with an IED in Kahan, killing seven military personnel including their commanding officer, Captain Fahad. Majority of these attacks were claimed by Baloch Liberation Army.
A considerable increase was observed in attacks against Pakistani military in 2022. In a BLF attack on 25 January, more than 10 Pakistani military personnel were killed in Dasht Sibdan. On 2nd February, BLA’s Majeed Brigade attacked security forces headquarters simultaneously in Noshki and Panjgur. This was the first time in Baloch resistance history that a Baloch armed group occupied a military base for three days.
In April, BLA Majeed Brigade’s Shari Baloch targeted employees of China’s Confucius institute in Karachi university. In this first “self-sacrificing” attack of Baloch history by a women, three Chinese nationals were killed.
In July, BLA kidnapped a high ranking official of Pakistani military Colonel Laeeq. In September BLA said it had downed a Pakistani gunship helicopter and kidnapped a military official from Bolan. BLA later said it is willing to swap prisoners with Pakistani state, a dramatic change in policies of the Baloch armed group.
Pakistani defence analysts always maintained that Baloch resistance was to face a huge setback as reuslt of Taliiban’s government in Afghanistan. However, contrary to these theories the Baloch armed groups seem to have further increased their capabilities and their armed activities have increased manifold. These armed groups are now capable of even targeting Chinese interests in Karachi, causing further issues for China and Pakistan in future.