The Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), a separatist group fighting for an independent Balochistan, says it carried out 34 attacks on Pakistani security forces between Oct. 9 and Oct. 20, killing 23 personnel. The claims could not be independently verified.
In a statement, BLA spokesman Jeeyand Baloch said the dead included army soldiers, military intelligence operatives and members of allied militias. The group said it lost six of its own fighters in the clashes and captured a serving Pakistani soldier.
According to the BLA’s account, the attacks relied on roadside bombs, sniper fire and ambushes of military vehicles in districts including Mastung, Kech, Khuzdar, Kalat, Chagai and Harnai. The group said an IED attack on a military vehicle in Harnai on Oct. 13 killed three personnel and injured four. It said an ambush in the Dasht area of Kech on Oct. 16 killed three more and injured two.
The BLA also said its fighters took control of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) route in Khuzdar for three hours on Oct. 18, seized military supplies and captured a serving soldier, identified in some reports as Nadir Ali. It said it held a junction at Tasp for four hours on Monday night, seizing two supply vehicles and detaining one person.
The group described the operations as part of an “economic blockade” meant to disrupt state logistics and block what it calls the exploitation of Balochistan’s resources. It vowed to continue its armed campaign until independence is achieved.
Pakistani military authorities have not officially corroborated the BLA’s casualty figures. Reports indicate that security forces have stepped up counterinsurgency sweeps, search operations and aerial surveillance across Khuzdar, Chagai and surrounding districts to regain control of key transit routes.
The BLA has issued similar claims in recent months, and its tallies are rarely confirmed by the authorities. Journalists generally cannot verify events in the area independently.