The Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), a pro-independence armed group, has released comprehensive footage of the Wali Thangi Quetta attack.
The video, titled “Fourteen Minutes, Fourteen Warriors”, appears to show the BLA’s “close quarters combat specialists”, the Fateh Squad, capturing a Pakistani security forces camp close to the Wali Thangi Dam on 14th September.
The footage begins with an intense barrage of RPG fire, quickly escalating into a full-fledged exchange of gunfire between the BLA fighters and Pakistani forces. In the early moments of the clash, Pakistani forces are shown retreating from an observation post, which the BLA fighters promptly capture.
As the attack progresses, Pakistani troops, based in a main outpost, fire several mortar rounds towards the advancing BLA fighters. A particularly intense moment shows close-quarter combat between the two sides, with a Pakistani soldier visibly falling amid a shower of bullets.
This skirmish culminates with an RPG striking the main outpost, which subsequently erupts in flames. The BLA claims this critical main outpost and observation post were neutralized within a mere fourteen minutes from the onset of their assault.
As night falls, the gun battle continues, with BLA fighters focusing their attack on another observation post while Pakistani forces retaliate with gunfire. The 21-minute video ends with footage of Pakistani transport and gunship helicopters in the skies as BLA fighters take cover under trees.
Separately, the BLA’s spokesperson, Jeeyand Baloch, claimed responsibility for the targeted killing of Pakistan Mineral Development Corporation’s (PMDC) Project Manager, Shabar Mirza, in an IED attack near Quetta on Sunday. The BLA statement criticized PMDC for allegedly exploiting Balochistan’s resources.
Additionally, the BLA spokesperson said that BLA fighters carried out an attack on September 26, 2023, where they targeted a communication tower associated with the Ufone company in Pasni, Gwadar.
It’s pertinent to mention that the BLA officially claimed responsibility for the Wali Thangi Quetta attack on 17th September, stating they had neutralized 11 Pakistani soldiers. Conversely, The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the media wing of Pakistan’s military, had portrayed a narrative of successfully thwarting the attack, a claim seemingly contradicted by the footage.