The Baloch Liberation Army’s (BLA) unit, the Majeed Brigade, has successfully concluded the fifth phase of ‘Operation ZirPahazag’, targeting the PNS Siddique Naval Airbase in Turbat and claiming the lives of more than thirty Pakistani military personnel last night, according to a BLA statement on Tuesday.
Jeeyand Baloch, the spokesperson for the BLA, said that the operation was carried out by four ‘fidayeen’ from the Majeed Brigade, who launched a fierce assault within the high-security naval airbase. The attack led to the destruction of armored vehicles and drones, with the fighters ultimately taking their own lives after depleting their ammunition.
The BLA statement honored the four fighters who participated in the fifth phase of ‘Operation ZirPahazag’: Ayub alias Doda, Khaleef alias Aslam, Wajdad alias Naudan, and Murad Hasil alias Farhad. The statement highlighted their political activism, experiences of enforced disappearance and torture, and their commitment to the armed struggle for Baloch national liberation.
According to the BLA, ‘Operation Zirpahazag’ aims to protect the Baloch coast from occupation and exploitation, particularly in connection with projects like the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), and to retaliate against what they describe as the ongoing ‘genocide’ against the Baloch people.
The statement also warned China about its involvement in the region, threatening severe attacks on Chinese nationals and projects in Balochistan unless it ceases exploitative activities and support for the Pakistani military. The BLA reiterated its call for the withdrawal of Pakistani forces from Balochistan, vowing to continue its attacks until its objectives are achieved.
Meanwhile, the Pakistani military’s media affairs wing, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), reported that “terrorists” attempted to attack PNS Siddique in Turbat last night. It claimed that the assault was “foiled” due to the “swift and effective response by the troops,” ensuring the safety and security of personnel and assets.
Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif commended the security forces for foiling the attack. According to the Pakistani state broadcaster Radio Pakistan, the PM acknowledged that the militants were neutralized due to the timely and effective action of security forces, “preventing a potentially significant loss.”
Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari praised the security forces’ “swift and effective response” to “frustrate the attack”. In a statement issued by the President’s House, he lauded the bravery of the security forces.
However, contrasting with the ISPR’s narrative of a swift repulsion, a BBC Urdu report detailed the attack based on local residents’ accounts, describing a sequence of explosions and gunfire that continued intermittently until the early hours, casting doubt on the official claims of immediate repulsion.
According to accounts from locals in the BBC report, “The sequence of explosions and firing first began around 10:15 p.m.” They continued, “The intense firing, along with explosions, went on continuously for 45 minutes until 11 p.m.”
Locals further added, “There was a period of silence after 11 p.m., but then two to three very loud explosions occurred, significantly more intense than the previous ones.” They noted, “The intensity of these two to three explosions was so great that we felt as if they occurred right outside our house.” Although the sounds of gunfire ceased around 1 a.m., residents reported that gunfire was heard again around 3 a.m. near the airport.
Meanwhile, accounts from ground sources provided to The Balochistan Post on Tuesday morning said that sounds of gunfire and explosions were heard until 6 a.m. towards the Turbat Naval Base. They also mentioned that 4G internet data had been shut down in the city and an emergency had been declared in hospitals.
It should be noted that the ISPR has previously issued statements claiming to foil attacks at their onset. However, the prolonged duration during which militants have sustained their attacks has not aligned with the ISPR’s narrative.