The Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) said on Sunday that 13 Pakistani military personnel were killed and more than 10 injured in an IED attack and subsequent ambush on a convoy in Balochistan’s Mastung district.
BLA spokesperson Jeeyand Baloch said the group’s fighters destroyed an armoured vehicle with an improvised explosive device in the Khadkocha area on Aug. 22 and later ambushed another armoured vehicle and accompanying vehicles.
“In this severe attack, 13 personnel of the occupying army were killed and more than 10 others injured,” Jeeyand Baloch said, adding that the BLA’s Special Tactical Operations Squad took part in the operation.
Local sources had earlier confirmed to The Balochistan Post that one armoured vehicle was destroyed in an explosion and a second was damaged. They said armed fighters subsequently ambushed the convoy and damaged another military vehicle.
The Balochistan Home Department imposed an indefinite curfew in Khadkocha and surrounding areas from 7 a.m. on Aug. 23 following the attack.
The BLA also claimed that three Pakistani military personnel were killed and three injured in a separate attack in Hairabad, Turbat, on Sunday.
Officials confirmed that an FC road-search team had been attacked in Hairabad but said only three personnel were injured. According to officials, six armed men riding three motorcycles threw a grenade and opened fire. The attackers fled after FC personnel returned fire, officials added.
The BLA also claimed eight other operations in Noshki, Kalat, Kharan, Washuk, Zehri and Chagai and said further details would be released in its forthcoming weekly statement.