The Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) has claimed responsibility for a large-scale attack on a Pakistani military camp in the Gidar area of Balochistan’s Surab district, saying it killed 18 soldiers and seized control of parts of the facility. The group also confirmed the death of one of its own fighters during the operation.
In a statement released on Thursday, BLA spokesperson Jeeyand Baloch said the attack began late on Wednesday night and involved a two-pronged assault on the central military camp in Gidar. The gun battle reportedly lasted over an hour, during which BLA fighters took control of two sections of the camp.
The spokesperson said at least 11 Pakistani soldiers were killed during the clashes, while others fled, leaving behind weapons and ammunition. The group also claimed to have shot down a military surveillance quadcopter during the operation.
While attempting to capture the third section of the camp, one BLA fighter, identified as Haroon Baloch alias Dostain was killed. He was described as a member of the group’s frontline Fateh Squad.
The BLA said a five-vehicle military convoy dispatched as reinforcements was ambushed near Surab. Two vehicles were destroyed, and the remaining personnel were forced to retreat.
Later, a second convoy of twelve military vehicles was targeted with a remote-controlled improvised explosive device (IED), which destroyed one vehicle and damaged another. According to the BLA, seven more soldiers were killed in that attack and at least eleven others injured.
In total, the group claimed 18 Pakistani soldiers were killed in the series of attacks around the Surab camp.
The BLA also claimed responsibility for three additional attacks carried out earlier on the same day in different areas of Balochistan.
In Panjgur’s Suraap area, a military convoy traveling along the China–Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) route was reportedly hit by an IED, killing one soldier and injuring three others.
In Buleda, BLA fighters reportedly intercepted and seized two supply vehicles along with cargo intended for Pakistani forces.
Meanwhile, in Mach, the group claimed responsibility for a grenade attack on a man identified as Abdul Ghaffar, son of Haji Abdul Jabbar Rajput. He was accused by the BLA of acting as a spy for the military. The group said he was seriously injured in the blast.
The BLA described the fallen fighter, Haroon Baloch, as a native of the Kishengi area of Nushki. He joined the group in 2022 and initially took part in urban operations before moving to the mountainous front. He was said to have led operations in Kalat, Nishki, and Kharan.
“His sacrifice strengthens our resolve and serves as an ideological beacon for the youth of Balochistan,” the statement said. “Every drop of blood shed in this resistance gives new life to our movement.”