Pakistan’s army chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir, visited Turbat on Friday to review the deteriorating security situation, following a sharp rise in large-scale attacks by Baloch armed groups.
According to the military’s media wing, ISPR, Munir was briefed at the military headquarters in Turbat on ongoing counter-insurgency operations and development projects in the area. His arrival was marked by heightened security, with helicopters and drones patrolling the skies over the city.
During the visit, the army chief also met Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti and representatives of the Turbat civil administration, ISPR said.
The visit comes as Baloch armed groups step up operations and expand their territorial influence across the region. The Baloch Raaji Aajoi Sangar (BRAS), an alliance of armed groups, claimed responsibility for 71 attacks between 10 and 15 August.
The group said it targeted military convoys, camps and government facilities, killing 24 soldiers. It also claimed to have stormed a military headquarters in Basima and ambushed convoys in Mastung, Panjgur and Kech.
On 1 August, BRAS said its fighters seized a military camp in Goran, Panjgur district, killing more than 20 personnel.
Meanwhile in Khuzdar district, armed fighters are reported to have held control of the Zehri area for more than ten days. Local sources said they blocked entry routes and ambushed reinforcements, with videos circulating online showing destroyed military vehicles along highways.
The escalation has also seen the deaths of several senior army officers. On 16 July, Major Syed Rabnawaz Tariq was killed in an ambush in Awaran district, in an attack claimed by the Balochistan Liberation Front (BLF).
Three days later, Major Anwar Kakar died in a magnetic bomb blast near Jabal-e-Noor in Quetta, carried out by the Baloch Liberation Army’s (BLA) Special Tactical Operations Squad.
On 23 July, Major Zaid Saleem was killed in clashes with BLA fighters in Mastung. On 5 August, Major Rizwan died in a roadside IED blast in Nushki, also claimed by the BLA.
Balochistan has faced a decades-long insurgency, with Baloch groups seeking independence and accusing the Pakistani state of human rights abuses and exploiting the region’s resources. Pakistani authorities, however, say they are battling terrorism and working to stabilize the region.