Armed assailants targeted a vehicle carrying rations for Pakistani forces in the Samsuri Kaur area of Buleda, Kech district, on Sunday.
The attackers forcibly stopped the vehicle and opened fire, bursting its tires. The civilian driver, a resident of Sindh, was released unharmed.
This incident appears to be part of a recent surge in attacks by Baloch ‘pro-independence’ armed groups against Pakistani military logistics operations, although no group has claimed responsibility for this particular attack.
Earlier on Thursday, the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) claimed responsibility for a separate incident in Quetta, where a magnetic bomb targeted a vehicle delivering food supplies to military checkpoints. That attack resulted in the deaths of two soldiers and severe injuries to another.
‘Pro-independence’ groups allege that the Pakistani military has increasingly utilized civilian vehicles for logistics following significant operational losses in Balochistan. They have issued warnings to drivers involved in such activities, cautioning that transporting military supplies puts their lives at risk.
This escalation in targeted attacks on military logistics underscores the ongoing challenges Pakistani security forces face in maintaining control over Balochistan. The reliance on civilian vehicles and drivers not only exposes the logistical vulnerabilities of the forces but also heightens the risks for civilians involved in these logistical operations.