In Balochistan’s Kalat district, armed assailants have reportedly captured three Pakistani military positions, including a base camp near the Iskalko gas field. The attack began on Monday night and continued into Tuesday morning, with clashes erupting as Pakistani helicopters paradropped commandos into the area.
According to reports, the armed assailants targeted and overran the main military camp and several checkpoints providing protection to the gas field and a nearby military base in Iskalko. The gas reserve, discovered in 2019, is said to contain over one trillion cubic feet of gas.
Overnight, local sources reported continuous heavy gunfire and explosions. By Tuesday morning, there were frequent helicopter movements in the area. These reports also suggest considerable casualties among Pakistani military personnel, although exact numbers have not been confirmed. Authorities have not yet provided any official details about the attack.
Meanwhile, in a statement released on Tuesday, the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), a ‘pro-independence’ armed group, claimed responsibility for the attack. Jeeyand Baloch, the BLA spokesperson, stated that their fighters had targeted and captured a Pakistani military camp and its outposts in the Iskalko area of Kalat.
“Last night, freedom fighters of the Baloch Liberation Army attacked and captured a Pakistani military camp and its outposts in the Iskalko area of Kalat,” Jeeyand Baloch said. “A large cache of arms and ammunition was seized in the operation. BLA fighters also targeted advancing troops and gunship helicopters this morning.” He added that a detailed statement would be released later.