Fighters from the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) reportedly carried out a highway blockade in Bolan district and a grenade attack on a police checkpoint in Jaffarabad on Tuesday.
According to local sources and a statement released by the BLA on Wednesday, armed men established a checkpoint on the highway in the Margat area of Bolan around 6pm on Tuesday evening. The fighters stopped traffic for over two hours, checking vehicles and questioning passengers during the blockade.
The BLA said its fighters detained a “suspicious” individual during the operation but later released him. The group also claimed to have shot down a military quadcopter that was monitoring the area. Pakistani forces stationed nearby reportedly did not attempt to intervene.
“They had full control over the road,” a local resident told The Balochistan Post. “Vehicles were stopped, checked, and people were asked questions. It went on for hours.”
BLA spokesperson Jeeyand Baloch said the Pakistani military remained confined to its camp, adding that fighters had “destroyed the quadcopter sent for aerial surveillance.”
Later the same night, a police checkpoint in Jaffarabad district was targeted in a grenade attack.
According to police, unidentified assailants on a motorcycle threw a grenade at a post in the Shafiabad area of Qaidi Shakh. Officers returned fire and the attackers fled. No arrests were made.
The BLA claimed responsibility for the attack and said it had caused casualties and damaged infrastructure.
The BLA and other Baloch “pro-independence” armed groups frequently target military convoys, security checkpoints and government installations across Balochistan.
Earlier this week, the group said it ambushed a Pakistani military convoy during a four-hour highway blockade in Nushki, killing eight soldiers and injuring four others.
In recent months, BLA fighters have also claimed temporary control of towns including Zehri, Manguchar and Surab, where fighters stormed police stations, seized government offices, and blocked key highways.
Security analysts say the tactics reflect a shift in strategy, with Baloch armed groups attempting to demonstrate territorial control and challenge state authority.
While Pakistani officials often describe Baloch fighters as “foreign-backed insurgents,” Baloch nationalist groups maintain they are waging a legitimate struggle for independence and self-determination.