The year 2023 witnessed a significant escalation in armed activities across Balochistan, marked by a total of 612 attacks carried out by various pro-independence Baloch armed organizations. This report provides a comprehensive analysis of the activities of prominent entities, including the Balochistan Liberation Front (BLF), Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), Baloch Republican Guards (BRG), Baloch Nationalist Army (BNA), Baloch Liberation Tigers (BLT), and the United Baloch Army (UBA), highlighting both their individual and collective impacts.
Attacks and Impacts in 2023
The key feature of the year was the occurrence of 612 attacks. resulting in 557+ fatalities and 423+ injuries, targeting the Pakistani military, intelligence agencies, and its local collaborators. The geographical spread covered 134 different areas, including major cities, towns, and remote regions across 26 districts in Balochistan.
Balochistan Liberation Front (BLF):
The Balochistan Liberation Front (BLF) asserted its prominence through the claim of responsibility for 284 attacks, resulting in a toll of 287+ fatalities, 161+ injuries, and property losses totaling 76+. Despite claiming responsibility in 12 districts, over 90% of the attacks were concentrated in five specific districts. Operating across 54 locations within 12 districts, the BLF made significant strides, leading to the arrest of 18 individuals. Notably, the organization suffered a substantial loss of 35 fighters throughout the year, marking the highest casualties for the group in the last year.
Baloch Liberation Army (BLA):
The Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) demonstrated extensive activities across 67 areas in 18 districts, emphasizing urban attacks. The 247 claimed incidents resulted in 213+ fatalities, 264+ injuries, and substantial property losses totaling 206. The BLA executed two self-sacrifice (Fidai) attacks, resulting in 20 casualties combined, including Chinese engineers and Pakistani army officials (High value). Throughout the year, the BLA reported the loss of 14 fighters, including three self-sacrifices (Fidains) members. Their operations involved besieging and blocking highways for several days in areas like Harani. Additionally, the organization arrested 17 individuals, including army personnel, and targeted and captured high-alert regular army outposts, establishing itself as the deadliest and most capable organization in Balochistan.
Other Armed Organizations:
In total, the Baloch Republican Guards (BRG), Baloch Nationalist Army (BNA), Baloch Liberation Tigers (BLT), United Baloch Army (UBA), and various other factions collectively claimed responsibility for 81 attacks. Among the significant events were the BNA’s targeting of the Jaffar Express in Punjab and the BRG claiming responsibility for attacks in Sindh (Khairpur) and Punjab (Dera Ghazi Khan). Together, these organizations reported 49 fatalities, over 60 injuries, property losses totaling 58, and the arrest of four individuals. These incidents occurred across 15 areas, spanning 11 districts.
Breakdown of attacks: BLF, BLA, and Other Organizations:
During the last year, the Balochistan Liberation Front (BLF) asserted responsibility for approximately 46.41% of the total attacks, while the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) claimed around 40.36%. Together, these two organizations collectively claimed responsibility for roughly 86.76% of the total attacks reported. The remaining armed organizations, including the Baloch Republican Guards (BRG), Baloch Nationalist Army (BNA), Baloch Liberation Tigers (BLT), United Baloch Army (UBA), and various factions, contributed to the remaining 13.24% of the attacks. This breakdown provides insight into the distribution of claimed attacks among the different armed groups, highlighting the substantial influence of BLF and BLA in the events of the past year.
Baloch Armed Activities in 2023 vs Previous Year
In 2023, Baloch Armed Organizations witnessed a notable escalation in their activities, recording a substantial increase in total attacks, which reached 612—a 28.42% surge compared to the previous year’s 475. Despite the heightened activity, the toll showed a nuanced pattern with 557+ fatalities, indicating a 30.94% decrease from the 804 reported in 2022. Additionally, 423+ injuries were recorded. Property losses experienced a significant surge, reaching 340+, reflecting a notable 246.94% increase from the 98+ reported in 2022. The areas of operation expanded to 134, covering cities and remote regions across 26 districts.
It’s noteworthy that overall armed organizations reported a considerable shift. They faced a 50% reduction in fighter losses compared to the previous year.26 districts.