At least 10 Pakistani personnel, including two Army officers, four Frontier Corps (FC) personnel and four Customs officials, were reportedly killed on August 31/September 1 in an overnight attack at a Customs post at Ziarat Cross in Balochistan province. The place which was attacked served as a Customs warehouse and was being provided security by Frontier Corps personnel who had set up a check post at the location, according to police and local officials.
The attackers reportedly targeted the Customs facility and nearby security installations, opening fire on personnel stationed at the site. An intense exchange of fire subsequently took place between the assailants and Pakistani forces. In this encounter, 10 Pakistani personnel were killed and seven others were badly injured.
Those reported killed include Pakistan Army Captain Ziaullah, Hawaldar Samiullah, Lance Naik Nowroz, Lance Naik Shakeel and Sepoy Sajawal. The identities of one Army officer and three other FC personnel were not immediately available.
Among those reported injured are Hawaldar Jahangir, Lance Naik Sardar, Lance Naik Shabbir, Sepoy Anwar and Sepoy Hikmat. Sepoy Ashiq and Sepoy Ghulam Rasool were reportedly in critical condition.
Vehicles inside Customs warehouse post burnt down
Following the attack, the assailants reportedly set fire to several vehicles parked inside the Customs warehouse compound, causing significant damage. Firefighters and emergency response teams were deployed to the site and brought the blaze under control, officials said. Pakistani forces and police subsequently cordoned off the area and launched search and clearance operations.
Meanwhile, the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) claimed responsibility for the attack. In a statement, the group said its Special Istishhadi Force (SIF) targeted the joint police and Customs office at Ziarat.
The TTP claimed that 15 personnel were killed and several others wounded during the clashes. It also claimed that its fighters seized 15 weapons and other equipment and shot down a quadcopter during the operation.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said that on the night of August 31-Sept 1, there were multiple clashes in Nokcha, Chagai District, and Ziarat Cross, Pishin District. The statement claimed that 21 armed rebels, which included armed TTP rebels and some Baloch nationalists, were neutralised, according to a Dawn report.
“The relentless counter-terrorism campaign under the vision of ‘Azm-i-Istehkam,’ as approved by the Federal Apex Committee on the National Action Plan, will continue with full resolve. Security forces and law enforcement agencies remain committed to eliminating the menace of foreign-sponsored and foreign-supported terrorism from the country,” the ISPR concluded.
Convoy of commercial transport trucks attacked
Meanwhile, another report said that security forces killed several armed rebels following an attack on a convoy of vehicles from the Reko Diq copper and gold project, in the Chagai area. Security officials said a group of armed men attacked the convoy as it was travelling to Quetta from the project site on Monday.
According to sources, unidentified attackers tried to intercept the convoy and opened heavy fire on it. “Around three dozen empty vehicles of the Reko Diq project were travelling to Quetta under security protection when they were attacked in the Nokacha area of Chagai,” an official said.
He said that soon after the attack, security personnel escorting the convoy took positions and returned fire. A heavy exchange of fire continued for more than two hours, during which two security personnel were injured.
Officials initially said that several rebels were killed at the scene, adding that arms and ammunition, including heavy weapons, were recovered from the attackers. Officials from the Reko Diq project did not respond to a request for comment.
CM Sarfaraz Bugti said intelligence-based targeted operations against terrorists were continuing successfully and consistently across the province.
