Two Baloch “pro-independence” armed groups, the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) and the Balochistan Liberation Front (BLF), said late on the evening of December 30 that they carried out separate attacks on Pakistani military forces in Mastung, Kech, and Awaran districts of Balochistan. These attacks left at least 13 soldiers dead and several others injured, the spokespersons of these organisations said.
In a media statement, BLA spokesman Jeeyand Baloch said the group carried out an improvised explosive device (IED) attack in the Gwarkop area of Kech district on Monday. “BLA fighters carried out a remote-controlled IED attack on the occupying army at Jamuk around 12:00 noon. As a result, all five personnel in the vehicle were eliminated on the spot, and the vehicle was completely destroyed,” the statement read.
Later the same day, the BLA reportedly targeted Pakistani security forces and what it called members of so-called “death squads” advancing for an operation in the Splinji area of Mastung. According to Jeeyand Baloch, the attack inflicted casualties on the advancing forces. “The Baloch Liberation Army accepts responsibility for these attacks,” Jeeyand Baloch added.
Meanwhile, Major Gwahram Baloch, spokesperson for the BLF, said the group carried out a series of strikes in Awaran and Kech. He claimed the attacks killed at least eight soldiers and left several others injured, according to reports in Balochistan Post.
Both the BLA and BLF asserted that they would continue attacks until their stated aim of Balochistan’s independence is achieved. The BLF said it has modernized its strategies for contemporary warfare, citing specialized units such as an intelligence wing, a Sniper Tactical Team, and the Qurban Unit.
Major Gwahram Baloch added that the group plans to release video footage of the Awaran attack soon.
Pakistani authorities have yet to release an official statement regarding the claims made by the BLA and BLF.
Meanwhile, a yearly report released by a Pakistani think tank has shown that the year 2024 proved to be the deadliest for Pakistan’s security forces and civilians in a decade, with 444 armed attacks resulting in the deaths of 685 security personnel. Overall, 2,546 people lost their lives across Pakistan due to violence, including civilians, security forces, and alleged militants, marking a 66 per cent increase compared to 2023.
The data shows that the security forces in Balochistan were disproportionately affected, recording 782 fatalities — an alarming 90% surge compared to the previous year. The report says that Balochistan became a focal point of violence, second only to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), which reported 1,616 deaths. Together, these two regions accounted for 94 per cent of all fatalities nationwide.
The data, compiled by the Center for Research and Security Studies (CRSS), based in Pakistan’s capital Islamabad, highlights that civilian and security personnel fatalities (1,612) far exceeded those of “militants” and “outlaws” (934). November emerged as the most violent month, with 450 fatalities and 625 injuries across Pakistan. The report is available on the official CRSS website.
The report also sheds light on the trend of increasing violence since 2021, with insurgency-related fatalities escalating by an average of 116 per cent annually in Balochistan. Balochistan’s several districts, including Quetta, Kech, Kalat, and Musakhail, witnessed nearly as many fatalities in 2024 as they did in the previous three years combined.
The report argues that the security personnel faced the highest number of fatalities in a decade, with 444 attacks targeting them, a sharp rise from previous years. The trend reversed the relative stability seen from 2015 to 2020, marking a significant resurgence of militancy and insurgency.
The report further highlights that sectarian violence also added to the year’s tally, claiming 182 lives and injuring 234 individuals. Shia communities bore the brunt, with 79 fatalities, followed by incidents involving both Shia and Sunni groups, which accounted for 79 deaths.
The report further says that the overall rise in violence represents a stark shift from the declining trends observed from 2015 to 2020. The fatalities recorded in 2024 are a nine-year high, surpassing even the turbulent years of 2015 and 2016. This resurgence of violence underscores the deteriorating security situation in Pakistan, with Balochistan and KP emerging as epicentres of instability.
