On Sunday morning, a convoy of vehicles belonging to Chinese engineers and Pakistani forces was targeted in an armed attack in Balochistan’s coastal city of Gwadar. A “pro-independence” group, the Baloch Liberation Army claimed responsibility for the attack.
According to reports, two heavily armed men attacked a convoy of Chinese company and the Pakistani forces who were guarding the convoy, near Faqir Colony Bridge in Gwadar early on Sunday morning.
According to local sources, heavy gunfire and explosions were heard for several hours, while citizens have been confined to their homes and area barricaded. There have also been reports of internet shutdowns in different areas of the coastal city.
As per local sources, there have been casualties as a result of the attack but TBP couldn’t confirm the numbers and details at the time.
Baloch Liberation Army claimed responsibility for the attack. In a short media statement, BLA spokesman Jeeyand Baloch said that BLA’s Majeed Brigade was behind the attack on the convoy of Chinese engineers in Gwadar.
Later, the group claimed of having killed 4 Chinese nationals and 9 personnel of the Pakistani military.
The group disclosed the names of the attackers, who were Naveed Baloch alias Aslam of Nigewar Dasht and Maqbool Baloch alias Qaim of Awaran. It also revealed the photos of the attackers on its official media channel, Hakkal.
https://twitter.com/TBPEnglish/status/1690661466020401152/photo/1
Pakistan Army’s Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) in a media statement confirmed the attack and said that ‘terrorists’ used small arms and hand grenades in the attack.
“Due to an efficient and swift response, two terrorists were sent to hell with no harm to any military or civil persons,” the ISPR statement reads.
The later updates from Gwadar are that Pakistani military choppers are hovering over the Gwadar city.