Pakistani forces’ posts reportedly came under rocket and gunfire attacks in Nushki on Friday, a day after a suicide bombing and armed assault on a military camp in Mastung prompted tighter security in Quetta and other parts of Balochistan.
Reports said rockets and other weapons were used against military posts at the football stadium and elsewhere in Nushki. Heavy gunfire and explosions were heard in the area, and several shopkeepers closed their shops and went home.
Police said a shooting took place near the stadium and gunfire was heard near a forces’ checkpoint. Initial reports indicated no casualties.
An explosion was also reported near the New Police Station in Quetta’s Sariab area late on Thursday night. The blast was heard in several parts of the city, where security at sensitive locations and key installations had already been tightened after the Mastung attack, sources said.
Pakistani forces also began a large-scale military operation in the mountainous areas of Tump in Kech district on Friday morning, local sources said, with tanks, armoured vehicles and dozens of other military vehicles moving through the area.
Rail services, including the Jaffar Express, were suspended on Thursday, and dozens of passengers were left stranded. Railway officials attributed the halt to track repairs.
Thursday’s attack in Mastung began when an explosives-laden vehicle struck a Frontier Corps (FC) post near Killi Kandawa in Kanak, police said. Gunfire followed from several directions, while residents reported extensive damage to the camp and shattered windows in nearby homes.
The Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) claimed responsibility and said more than 18 Pakistani military personnel were killed. BLA Spokesperson Jeeyand Baloch identified Usama Shahwani, alias Wadood, as the Majeed Brigade fighter who carried out the bombing.
The BLA said Fateh Squad fighters entered the compound after the explosion, attacked personnel inside and at a nearby post, and withdrew safely.
Police said forces had repelled the attack and killed three attackers. A statement carried by Radio Pakistan reported two civilian deaths and injuries to three FC personnel, but did not report any military deaths.
However, footage released by the BLA’s media channel, Hakkal, appears to show extensive damage to the compound, while men identified by the group as Fateh Squad fighters take positions at the site and fire towards nearby military posts.