ALBAWABA- At least 73 people have been killed in a series of violent assaults in Balochistan province, southwestern Pakistan, according to military and police officials.
Drone and missile attack on northern Israel during visit of Israeli and American military chiefsLocal media reported that security forces had killed 12 rebel fighters across the province in the past 24 hours.
Similar attacks in the past, including the killings of laborers and civilians, have been attributed to the BLA, which seeks secession from Pakistan and often targets workers from Punjab.
In the deadliest attack, 14 soldiers and police officers, along with 21 militants, were killed during an assault on vehicles traveling along a major highway in Bela, Lasbela district.
In another tragic incident in Musakhel district, attackers killed 23 civilians after identifying them as being from Punjab, setting ablaze 35 vehicles.
In Kalat, a police post and a highway were attacked, resulting in the deaths of five police officers and five civilians.
On the same day, rail traffic to Quetta was suspended following explosions on a rail bridge in Bolan, disrupting connections to the provincial capital and neighboring Iran.
Six unidentified bodies were discovered near the site of the rail bridge attack, police reported.
Balochistan, long plagued by a simmering insurgency, has witnessed an uptick in violence, with several armed groups operating in the region.
The Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) claimed responsibility for some of the attacks, warning people to avoid highways in the province. The BLA stated that their fighters targeted military personnel disguised in civilian clothing.
Houthis claim victory after European frigate retreats in failed interception of tanker attackPakistan’s Ministry of Interior, however, described the victims as innocent civilians. In separate statements, President Asif Ali Zardari and Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi condemned the Musakhel attack as “barbaric” and vowed to bring the perpetrators to justice.
A spokesperson for the Punjab provincial government expressed grave concern over the assaults and urged the Balochistan government to intensify efforts to eliminate BLA terrorists. Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti also promised that the attackers would face justice.
