QUETTA, Pakistan — Deadly confrontations between security forces and insurgents in Pakistan’s troubled Balochistan province claimed the lives of five military personnel, including an army major, officials announced Wednesday. A banned separatist organization took credit for initiating the attack on government troops.
Military officials reported that security forces had begun operations in Barkhan district to eliminate insurgent fighters that the government in Islamabad alleges receive support from India. The prohibited separatist group known as the Baloch Liberation Army, or BLA, released a statement claiming its members had launched an assault on the troops, which led to intense gunfire.
The military confirmed that an army major was among those killed in action, while also reporting that seven militants died during the confrontation.
Balochistan, Pakistan’s most expansive yet sparsely populated province, is rich in natural resources but has endured ongoing violence from separatist movements and assaults by the Pakistani Taliban. The BLA, which received a terrorist designation from the United States in 2019, has conducted multiple strikes against both security personnel and civilians throughout the region in recent years.
Military officials referred to the deceased militants as participants in “Fitna al-Hindustan,” terminology that Pakistani officials apply to insurgents they claim receive Indian backing.
India has consistently rejected accusations that it provides assistance to militant organizations operating within Pakistan.
