Baloch Separatist Group Claims Responsibility for Deadly Pakistan Attack

A deadly suicide attack in Pakistan’s southwestern Balochistan province has claimed the lives of 18 paramilitary personnel, leaving three others seriously wounded, according to police and military sources.

The attack, which took place near the town of Mangochar close to the Afghan border, was carried out by an estimated 70 to 80 armed assailants who ambushed a vehicle carrying unarmed paramilitary officers. A Baloch separatist group has claimed responsibility for the assault.

Security forces in Balochistan, a region rich in minerals but plagued by decades of sectarian, ethnic, and separatist violence, have been on high alert following a surge in attacks against military personnel.

The Pakistani army, in a statement, condemned the attack as a “cowardly act of terrorism” and confirmed that 18 paramilitary officers had been killed. Security forces launched overnight raids in response, reportedly killing 12 of the attackers.

The violence comes amid an escalation of militant activities in the region. In January, the separatist Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) was responsible for a bomb blast that killed six security personnel. The BLA has a history of targeting security forces and civilians from other provinces, particularly in resource-rich areas where foreign investment, especially from China, is prominent.

Baloch militants have carried out multiple high-profile attacks, including a coordinated assault last August that killed at least 39 people and a bombing at Quetta’s main railway station in November, which left 26 dead, including 14 soldiers.

The resurgence of violence in Pakistan’s border regions has intensified since the Taliban returned to power in Afghanistan in 2021. Islamabad has repeatedly accused the Afghan Taliban of harboring militants who launch cross-border attacks into Pakistan.

According to the Center for Research and Security Studies, 2024 was the deadliest year in nearly a decade, with over 1,600 people killed in violent attacks across the country.