The Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) said on Sunday that its “Fidayee unit” Majeed Brigade carried out a suicide attack on a Pakistani army convoy near Turbat, Balochistan, on Saturday, claiming that 47 personnel were killed and more than 30 injured.
In a media statement, the group’s spokesperson, Jeeyand Baloch, said the attack took place in the Behman area, about eight kilometers from Turbat city, at around 5:45 p.m.
He said the target was a convoy of 13 vehicles, including five buses and seven military vehicles, traveling from Karachi to the Frontier Corps (FC) headquarters in Turbat.
According to the group, the convoy included personnel from MI 309, FC SIU, FC 117 Wing, FC 326 Wing, FC 81 Wing, and retired army Captain Zohaib Mohsin, now serving as a police official.
The BLA alleged that one bus was “completely destroyed,” others were partially disabled, and one military vehicle was demolished in the blast, which it claimed was coordinated with help from its intelligence wing, “ZIRAB.”
“ZIRAB had provided authentic information that an enemy convoy was leaving Karachi for Turbat and included important troops of the occupying army,” the statement said.
“The success of this mission reflects the excellent performance of our intelligence and the unparalleled sacrifice of the Fidayee Sangat. This attack is a clear message that the land of Balochistan will never be safe for the occupying state.”
The attacker was identified as “Fidayee Sangat Bahar Ali,” from Qohda Murad Muhammad Bazar in the Dasht Hochat area of Turbat. The BLA said he joined the Baloch national movement in 2017, served on both urban and mountain fronts, and volunteered for the Majeed Brigade’s “Fidayee” mission in 2022.
In the aftermath of the attack, the group accused Pakistani forces of “torturing innocent Baloch people, opening fire, and forcibly disappearing many individuals.”
The group warned transport owners not to facilitate what it calls the “occupying army,” threatening to burn vehicles involved in resource extraction. It further stated that Balochistan’s highways would be “made unsafe” for the army, state agents, and investors, based on intelligence from “ZIRAB,” and cautioned civilians to avoid state convoys.
The BLA statement said, “Our land will always remain insecure for the occupying state, and we will not step down from our struggle until we achieve liberation.”
Meanwhile, authorities initially reported at least 11 fatalities in the Turbat suicide attack on the FC convoy on Saturday, but no official update has been provided since the BLA’s statement.
A security source said, “Until the BLA releases details, we have limited information,” adding that investigators had concluded the explosion was caused by a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device (VBIED).