At least eight policemen were killed in a series of coordinated attacks carried out by suspected separatists in Pakistan’s southwestern Balochistan province, officials reported.
The assaults, which targeted multiple police stations in the provincial capital Quetta, began around 3 a.m. local time (01:00 GMT) on Sunday, according to authorities. Alleged ethnic Baloch gunmen were behind the attacks, which also affected districts including Pasni, Mastung, Nushki, and Gwadar.
A senior security official in Quetta, speaking to AFP on condition of anonymity, described the operations as “coordinated gun and suicide attacks,” adding that they ultimately “failed due to poor planning and the rapid collapse under an effective security response.” Some members of the security forces are reported to have been abducted, while internet and train services have been suspended as authorities conduct ongoing security operations.
The Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), the province’s most active separatist group, has claimed responsibility for the attacks.
The group frequently targets military installations, police, civil administration officials, and foreign interests in the mineral-rich province. The Pakistani government has yet to comment on the BLA’s claim.
The attacks follow a military announcement that 41 armed fighters were killed in separate operations in Balochistan on Saturday. Despite its wealth of untapped natural resources, Balochistan remains Pakistan’s poorest province and has long been a hotbed of separatist activity.
In recent years, ethnic Baloch militants have increasingly targeted Pakistani workers from other provinces, as well as foreign energy firms, whom they accuse of exploiting the region’s resources.
Last year, separatists attacked a train carrying 450 passengers, resulting in a two-day siege that left dozens dead.
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