At least two people were killed on Monday after heavily armed militants carried out coordinated raids on several banks in Pakistan’s southwestern Balochistan province before engaging security forces in a gun battle, authorities told AFP.
The attackers, who struck in Panjgur district, reportedly looted multiple banks, making away with an estimated 150 million Pakistani rupees (about $530,000), according to a local police official. The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, described the operation as a well-planned heist.
“They successfully looted at least three banks and attempted to rob two others before security forces intervened, triggering a clash that forced them to flee,” the officer said.
During the exchange of gunfire, one police officer was killed and two others sustained injuries. A civilian shopkeeper also lost his life after being caught in the crossfire, the official confirmed.
A senior district administration official corroborated the incident, revealing that between 50 and 60 militants stormed the area using about 12 motorcycles and four vehicles.
The official identified the attackers as separatist fighters belonging to the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), though no group has formally claimed responsibility for the assault.
Balochistan, Pakistan’s largest and most resource-rich province, remains its poorest and most volatile region, plagued by a long-running separatist insurgency.
Ethnic Baloch militant groups have intensified attacks in recent years, frequently targeting security forces and infrastructure.
The BLA, designated a terrorist organisation by Pakistan, the United States, and several other countries, is considered one of the most active and dangerous groups operating in the province. It has increasingly targeted foreign interests as well as Pakistani security personnel and civilians beyond Balochistan.
In one of its deadliest recent attacks, the group in March seized a passenger train carrying more than 450 people, triggering a two-day siege that left dozens dead.
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