Pakistan’s southwestern province of Balochistan has been rocked by one of its deadliest security crises in years after coordinated suicide bombings and gun attacks left more than 120 people dead, according to military officials.
The violence erupted almost simultaneously across several districts, targeting both civilians and high-security facilities. By the end of Saturday, at least 33 people including 18 civilians and 15 members of the security forces had been killed, while Pakistani troops said they neutralised no fewer than 92 militants during counter-operations.
Officials described the scale and coordination of the attacks as highly unusual for the region, even amid Balochistan’s long history of insurgency. Security sources said more than 130 militants were killed over a 48-hour period, marking what analysts called an unprecedented single-day toll for armed groups in the province.
Police stations, a prison, paramilitary bases and key transport routes were among the targets. Rail services linking Balochistan to the rest of Pakistan were suspended after militants sabotaged tracks, further disrupting movement in the region.
In Quetta, the provincial capital, a grenade attack on a police vehicle killed two officers and forced hospitals to declare emergencies. In Mastung, armed men stormed a prison and freed more than 30 inmates, while an attempted assault on a paramilitary headquarters in Nushki was repelled by security forces.
Attacks were also reported in Dalbandin, Balincha, Tump, Kharan, Pasni and Gwadar, where militants attempted to abduct passengers travelling on major highways. Most of those attempts were thwarted, authorities said.
The banned Baloch Liberation Army claimed responsibility for the wave of violence, saying its fighters carried out suicide bombings, armed raids and acts of sabotage. The group also released propaganda videos showing female fighters involved in the operations.
Pakistan’s military and Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi accused India of backing the attackers — an allegation New Delhi has repeatedly denied and did not immediately respond to on this occasion.
The surge in violence comes days after the military said it had raided militant hideouts in the region, killing 41 insurgents earlier in the week. Provincial authorities say security operations are ongoing as forces pursue militants who fled after the attacks.
Balochistan has endured decades of separatist insurgency driven by political grievances, security crackdowns and demands for greater autonomy, making it Pakistan’s most volatile and heavily militarized province.
