Military operations against insurgents in Pakistan’s southwestern Balochistan province have left at least 255 people dead, including civilians, security personnel and suspected insurgents, following coordinated attacks across the region.
Pakistan’s security forces have been engaged in large-scale counterterrorism operations since last Friday after insurgents carried out coordinated assaults at 12 locations across Balochistan. According to a senior security official, speaking on condition of anonymity, 197 insurgents have been killed during the ongoing operations over the past four days.
The official said the total death toll rose to 255 after 20 additional suspected insurgents were killed in the past 24 hours. During the same period, five security personnel and five civilians were also killed. He confirmed that 22 members of the security forces have died so far, while 36 civilians, including women and children, were killed in the terrorist attacks.
The operations were launched in response to a wave of violence across multiple districts, including Quetta, Mastung, Nushki, Dalbandin, Kharan, Panjgur, Tump, Gwadar and Pasni. Security officials described the attacks as among the deadliest coordinated assaults in the province in recent years, prompting sweeping military action across urban and rural areas.
Security response
Pakistani military officials said the initial phase of operations began on January 30 after intelligence assessments warned of a major insurgency operation being planned. On that day, forces carried out security actions in the Harnai and Panjgur districts, killing at least 41 insurgents.
On Saturday, insurgents launched assaults at 12 locations, targeting both civilians and security personnel. The military’s media wing said security forces repelled the attacks, killing 92 insurgents, including three suicide bombers. Officials stressed that no city or major strategic installation was seized during the assaults.
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Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif confirmed the attacks and praised security forces for preventing armed separatists from taking control of any city or strategic site. In a statement from the Prime Minister’s House, he said Pakistan’s fight against terrorism would continue until insurgency networks were eliminated.
Insurgency tactics
Provincial officials said attackers entered public places disguised as civilians before opening fire. Pakistan’s junior interior minister Talal Chaudhry said militants deliberately targeted ordinary people in shops, markets and other public spaces.
“In each case, the attackers came dressed as civilians and indiscriminately targeted ordinary people working in shops,” Chaudhry said, adding that insurgents used civilians as human shields.
Residents in several districts described scenes of chaos following the attacks. In Quetta, burnt vehicles, damaged buildings and sealed streets remained visible as security forces tightened patrols and restricted movement in the aftermath of the violence.
Claims and blame
The outlawed Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) claimed responsibility for the coordinated assaults, saying it launched an operation targeting security forces across the province. The group claimed it killed dozens of security personnel, though officials said those claims could not be independently verified.
Pakistan’s military said the attacks were planned and directed by militant leaders operating outside the country. “Intelligence reports have unequivocally confirmed that the attacks were orchestrated and directed by terrorist ringleaders operating from outside Pakistan, who were in direct communication with the terrorists throughout the incident,” the military said.
India rejected Pakistan’s accusations of external involvement. Indian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said: “We categorically reject the baseless allegations made by Pakistan,” adding that Islamabad should address internal issues in the region.
Regional impact
Mobile and internet services remain suspended in several districts, while train services to other parts of the country have been halted for a fifth consecutive day. Roads from Dera Ghazi Khan to Rakhni town and from Nushki to Taftan also remain closed due to security concerns.
Balochistan, Pakistan’s largest and poorest province, has long faced an insurgency by ethnic Baloch groups seeking greater autonomy and control over natural resources. The province is also a key route for the multibillion-dollar China–Pakistan Economic Corridor, making it strategically significant.
International reactions followed swiftly. Türkiye condemned the attacks and expressed condolences for the soldiers killed, while the United States also denounced the violence. U.S. Chargé d’affaires Natalie Baker called the attacks acts of terrorism and expressed support for Pakistan as security operations continue across the province.
