It’s the third consecutive day (today) that the Pakistan Army has been conducting an operation in Balochistan’s Bolan and environ.
According to sources, the gunship helicopters and spying drones are hovering in the area for the third day today, while helicopters have been seen shelling many places.
Zarghoon, Margat, and surrounding villages are reportedly under heavy military operations. During the operation, the Pakistan Army was targeted in armed attacks for which the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) has claimed responsibility.
The military operation was launched two days ago when armed men attacked a post of Pakistani forces. Confirming the incident, the Public Relations Department of the Pakistan Army, ISPR, told the media that an attack was carried out on a check post of Pakistani forces in the Zarghoon area adjacent to Quetta, the capital of Balochistan.
According to ISPR, three Pakistan military personnel were killed while one of the attackers was also killed in the exchange of fire. BLA took responsibility for the aforementioned attack.
In a press release, BLA’s spokesperson Jeeyand Baloch said that the freedom fighters of the Baloch Liberation Army “eliminated” nine and injured seven personnel of Pakistani “occupying” forces in attacks in Zarghoon and Margat.
Jeeyand Baloch said in the statement that on Friday night, BLA fighters targeted an outpost of the Pakistani military in Zarghoon near Quetta. In the multi-pronged attack, “five enemy personnel were killed on the spot while three fled their positions in injured conditions”.
On Saturday morning the Pakistani forces commenced a military aggression in Zarghoon, Margat, and adjoining areas. The forces were aided by gunship helicopters and unmanned aerial vehicles. Jeeyand Baloch said that BLA fighters ambushed Pakistani military troops near Margat. At least four army personnel were killed and four were injured in this attack.
In Zarghoon, Bolan, and adjoining areas, few coal contractors and miners are working directly as collaborators of Pakistani forces. The military is building outposts in the area for the security of these collaborators, the outpost targeted on Friday was built for the same reasons, BLA statement reads.
In another press release on Sunday, BLA claimed responsibility for killing three Pakistan Army’s Special Service Group (SSG) commandos in an attack in Bolan.
“Since yesterday[Saturday] Pakistani forces have been advancing in Margat, Zarghoon, and Bolan. Today[Sunday], freedom fighters of BLA targeted these troops when they were sitting in a large group,” the statement reads. It further said that in this fierce attack, BLA fighters eliminated three SSG commandos and injured several more.
BLA vowed that it will continue to target “occupying forces” until their full withdrawal from Balochistan.