The Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) said on Thursday that its fighters took full control of Zehri in Balochistan’s Khuzdar district for more than ten hours on Wednesday. According to the group, the operation served as a “military exercise” ahead of the second phase of Operation Herof.
BLA spokesperson Jeeyand Baloch said that two specialized BLA units—the Special Tactical Operations Squad (STOS) and Fateh Squad—executed the mission with support from the BLA’s intelligence wing, “Zirab.” He said the operation began at 12:30 p.m., when BLA fighters entered Zehri, taking control of the Levies station, a bank, the NADRA office, and the municipal committee.
The BLA claimed that by seizing these sites, it had “dismantled the occupying forces’ authority” in Zehri. BLA Fighters reportedly established positions across the city, patrolled streets, and used local mosques’ loudspeakers to announce their presence. The spokesperson said BLA fighters addressed public gatherings while assuring no harm would come to civilians or property.
According to Jeeyand Baloch, security personnel were forced to surrender, and 23 Kalashnikov rifles, a “large amount” of ammunition, official records, vehicles, and motorcycles were seized. The buildings were then set ablaze.
When Pakistani forces advanced in a 35-vehicle convoy, the BLA said it ambushed them at Zehri Kochu with a remote-controlled IED followed by automatic gunfire. One military vehicle was reportedly destroyed, leaving at least four personnel dead and seven injured.
The BLA spokesperson added that local Baloch residents provided “significant support” during the ten-hour takeover of Zehri, emphasizing there were no civilian casualties. He described the group’s conduct as “focused on protecting civilian lives and property.”
In a separate development, the BLA said its fighters took control of the Pandaran area in Kalat, detaining two telecommunications employees for interrogation.
The spokesperson called the Zehri takeover a demonstration of the BLA’s strength, claiming it also exposed the “weakness” of what he termed “occupying forces,” who he accused of targeting unarmed civilians but failing against the BLA.
He labeled the Zehri operation a “military exercise” in anticipation of the next phase of Operation Herof, initially launched by the BLA in August 2024. The group frames Operation Herof as part of a decades-long resistance to what it describes as Pakistan’s occupation of Balochistan, arguing that a united Baloch people could “expel the occupying forces overnight.”
Meanwhile, the Balochistan government ordered a “transparent and impartial” investigation into the Zehri incident. Officials warned of “strict action” against those found responsible and issued a notice to local authorities, criticizing them for a “delayed response.”
The Commissioner of Kalat confirmed that BLA fighters seized 20 Kalashnikov rifles, 4,000 rounds of ammunition, two vehicles, and ten motorcycles from the forces during the Zehri attack. No additional details were provided at the time of publication.