Chaos in Pakistan: Rebels Seize Highway and Kill 18 Soldiers, Army Powerless to Stop Attack

Islamabad. The anger of the local people has erupted against the brutality of the army and police in Balochistan, Pakistan. Now its effect is also being seen. There has been a fierce encounter between Baloch rebels and Pakistani security forces. In this, 18 Pakistani security personnel have died, while 12 rebels have also been killed. Violent clashes often occur in the troubled Balochistan province. The people of Balochistan keep raising their voice against the repressive policies of the Shahbaz Sharif government, Pakistani army and local police. It is being told that this is the most fierce clash between the Baloch Liberation Army and Pakistani security forces in recent times.

According to the information, Pakistani soldiers fought with the rebels in the troubled areas of the northwestern region. The rebels had captured the highway and put up barricades. Pakistani security forces had reached to free the highway from the rebels, when a fierce clash took place. 18 paramilitary personnel and 12 rebels were killed in this conflict. Officials gave information about this incident on Saturday. The Pakistan Army said that the soldiers suffered casualties when they fought with the rebels who had set up barricades on a major highway in Kalat district of Balochistan province. This area is adjacent to the border of Afghanistan.

BLA took responsibility

The Pakistan Army said in a statement that the security forces successfully removed the barricades from the highway and the fighting continued till Saturday morning. The statement said 18 security personnel were killed in the operation and vowed that the perpetrators of this heinous and cowardly act, their collaborators and supporters would be brought to justice. The army said security forces have recovered the bodies of 12 insurgents. The Baloch National Army (BLA) separatist group has claimed responsibility for the attack.

Insurgents continue to inflict injuries

The BLA often targets security forces, civilians and foreigners, especially Chinese nationals working on billions of dollars worth of projects in Pakistan. In November, a BLA suicide bomber detonated a bomb at a train station in the southwestern city of Quetta, killing 26 people. The dead included soldiers and railway workers. Since then, the army and police have intensified operations against insurgents in oil and mineral-rich Balochistan. The region is the center of the country's ethnic Baloch minority, whose members say they face discrimination and exploitation by the central government. An insurgency has been going on in Balochistan for years. Separatist groups carry out attacks mainly targeting security forces in their demand for independence.