The Balochistan Liberation Front (BLF) said on Tuesday that its fighters had concluded a major operation in Chagai district’s Nokkundi after holding control of a compound housing foreign staff of the Saindak and Reko Diq mining projects for more than thirty hours.
In a media statement, BLF spokesperson Major Gwahram Baloch said fighters from the group’s Saddo Operational Battalion (SOB) launched the attack at 8:19 p.m. on 30 November, entered the compound and maintained control for thirty-six hours.
The group said SOB fighters seized the section of the base used by foreign engineers working on the Saindak and Reko Diq projects and “took several foreign staff hostage.”
According to the BLF, Pakistani ground forces, air assets and SSG commandos made repeated attempts to retake the compound but “failed to dislodge” its fighters. The group said SOB unit “inflicted severe losses” on Pakistani armed forces while maintaining their positions.
“The operation has concluded after achieving all desired objectives,” the statement said, adding that the BLF “salutes the martyrs of the Saddo Operational Battalion” and will issue a detailed statement later.
Pakistan Says Clearance Operation Also Ended
Pakistani officials, meanwhile, said the clearance operation at the Frontier Corps headquarters in Nokkundi had also ended after what they described as nearly 30 hours of fighting.
Officials said a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device carrying about 500 kilograms of explosives detonated at the main entrance, creating a crater nearly 50 feet wide on the road. After the blast, six attackers entered the compound, they said.
Authorities said all six attackers, along with the suicide bomber, were killed and their bodies were in Pakistani custody.
Officials did not comment on military casualties or address the BLF’s claim that foreign staff had been taken hostage.
Escalating Operational Capability of Baloch Armed Groups
Nokkundi is viewed as one of Balochistan’s most sensitive areas because of its proximity to Pakistan’s nuclear test sites and its strategic location near the Reko Diq and Saindak copper-and-gold projects, which are among the largest undeveloped deposits of their kind in the world.
The ability of the Balochistan Liberation Front (BLF) to mount a complex, hours-long assault inside this high-security zone underscores the continued expansion of operational capability among Baloch armed groups.
In recent years, these groups have repeatedly targeted Pakistani armed forces, foreign personnel and strategic installations with increasingly sophisticated operations.
This year alone, major suicide attacks have been carried out in Turbat, Bolan, Nushki, Dasht and now Nokkundi. Earlier, large military bases in Panjgur, Nushki, Mach and Bela were also struck in operations involving multiple suicide attackers.
The Nokkundi assault marks the first time the BLF has conducted a suicide operation of this nature. Previously, such “self-sacrifice” attacks had been carried out almost exclusively by the Baloch Liberation Army’s Majeed Brigade.
The introduction of the BLF’s Saddo Operational Battalion indicates a significant shift in the group’s organisational structure and offensive capability. The Nokkundi attack, which involved coordinated infiltration, sustained engagement and the use of a female suicide attacker to breach the main gate, suggests the BLF is now capable of planning and executing complex, prolonged operations in high-security zones.
Security analysts say the development is likely to raise serious concern for the Pakistani state as well as foreign personnel and companies operating in Balochistan.
Saddo Operational Battalion: BLF’s New ‘Self-Sacrifice’ Unit
The BLF has described the Saddo Operational Battalion (SOB) as a specialized unit formed to carry out what it calls “strategically important targets” requiring complex planning and strict organisational discipline. The group said the battalion is composed of fighters prepared to undertake “self-sacrificial” operations.
In a detailed ideological statement, the organisation said the unit marks an advanced phase in its organisational and combat structure, designed for missions involving complex tactical strategies capable of “shaking the foundations of the enemy’s military and economic structures.”
It said the philosophy of “self-sacrifice” in the Baloch armed struggle is not a spontaneous tactic but a “mature philosophical and ideological decision” adopted by youth who “prioritise national survival over personal existence” in pursuit of what the group calls the goal of an independent Balochistan.
“The fighters of the SOB are the guardians of national dignity,” the statement said, adding that the unit would continue expanding operational capabilities and coordinating with other BLF units.
According to the group, the battalion is intended to challenge “the occupier’s military force supported by expansionist countries seeking Balochistan’s resources.” It said the SOB will remain a “frontline unit” responsible for operations requiring advanced coordination, prolonged engagement and significant strategic impact.