Pakistani forces kill 177 Baloch militants in 48 hours, the highest toll in decades

QUETTA, Pakistan (AP) — Pakistani security forces killed about two dozen militants overnight in multiple raids in the insurgency-hit southwest bordering Afghanistan, raising the militant death toll to 177 in the past 48 hours, officials said Monday, following a wave of coordinated insurgent attacks that killed at least 33 people, mostly civilian.

Police, backed by the military, have been conducting these raids in several areas against members of the outlawed Baloch Liberation Army since early Saturday, after nearly 200 militants in small groups carried out simultaneous suicide bombings and gun attacks on police stations, civilian homes, and security facilities across the province.

Analysts say the scale of militant deaths in the past 48 hours is the highest in decades.

The weekend attacks claimed by BLA killed at least 18 civilians and 15 members of the security forces, drawing widespread condemnation from political leaders across Pakistan, including members of the party led by imprisoned former Prime Minister Imran Khan.

On Monday, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi in a statement praised the security forces for killing an additional 22 insurgents. He described those killed as “Indian-backed terrorists.” However, he offered no evidence, and there was no immediate response from New Delhi.

Though Pakistan’s largest province, Baluchistan is its least populated, made up largely of high mountains. It’s also a hub for the country’s ethnic Baluch minority, whose members say they face discrimination and exploitation by the central government. That has fueled a separatist insurgency demanding independence. Islamic militants also operate in the province.

Though authorities said normalcy largely returned to the province on Monday, the train service between Balochistan and rest of the country remained suspended for a third consecutive day. Provincial authorities suspended train services following the attacks, citing security concerns, and the suspension remains in effect.

In March, at least 31 people were killed when BLA militants attacked the Jaffar express train carrying hundreds of people in Balochistan, taking passengers hostage before security forces launched a rescue operation. All 33 assailants were killed, and the passengers were freed.

The BLA, which is banned in Pakistan, has carried out numerous attacks in recent years, frequently targeting security forces, Chinese interests, and infrastructure projects. Authorities say the group has operated with support from the Pakistani Taliban, known as Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan, which is allied with Afghanistan’s Taliban rulers.