DID Press: Pakistani officials have reported heavy casualties in recent clashes with the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), accusing Taliban and India of supporting the group.
According to Pakistani authorities, 145 BLA members were killed in the recent border skirmishes in Balochistan, which began following a series of explosions carried out by the group in several cities across the province.
Sarfraz Bugti, the senior minister of Balochistan, confirmed that the fighting has intensified in recent days, with the death toll continuing to rise. He also noted that 17 Pakistani soldiers and 31 civilians had lost their lives, marking this as one of the deadliest clashes in the region in recent decades.
Minister Bugti emphasized that the bodies of the 145 BLA members are now in the possession of Pakistani authorities. Some of the deceased were identified as Afghan nationals, with Bugti accusing the Taliban of supporting the group and claiming that its leaders continue to operate from Afghan territory.
The clashes, predominantly occurring in Quetta, Mastung, and Nushki in Balochistan, have raised concerns about the security situation in the border region and the complicated relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan.
In response to the attacks, Pakistani officials have accused the Taliban of failing to condemn the violence. Additionally, Pakistan’s Interior Minister, Mohsin Naqvi, has blamed India for allegedly organizing these operations, claiming that the attacks were carried out with the support of groups that Pakistan considers terrorist organizations.