The militant group Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), which claimed responsibility for the latest attacks, said in a statement that they targeted security forces and highways across the province.
The horrific massacre of the separatists
The deadliest attack took place in the Rarasham area of Musakhel district, near the border between Balochistan and Punjab provinces. Police said at least 23 people were dragged out of the vehicle. After identifying them as Punjabi migrant workers, the militants killed them.
In Kalat district, 140 km south of the provincial capital Quetta, militants targeted law enforcement officers, killing at least 10. In Bolan district, southeast of Quetta, six people were killed overnight, including four from Punjab. The Pakistani military said five other security personnel, a total of 14, were killed in the attacks.
The military said security forces responded and killed 21 terrorists.
Balochistan has previously witnessed several attacks targeting civilians, law enforcement personnel and state infrastructure. However, the latest attacks show a shift in their scale, audacity and nature, analysts said.
The targeted attacks on workers from Punjab, Pakistan's largest, most prosperous and politically influential province, carry the separatist movement's message that outsiders are not safe in Balochistan, experts say.
Several attacks have targeted civilians and law enforcement officers in Balochistan, Pakistan in recent days. Photo: EPA
Message from the separatists
The attacks coincided with the 18th death anniversary of Nawab Akbar Bugti, the former Governor of Balochistan who joined the separatist movement in 2005 and was killed in a military operation in August 2006 near his hometown of Dera Bugti.
The anniversary of Bugti's death has always been marked by violence, but recent attacks across Balochistan have sent a clear message: "The influence of armed groups stretches across the province, challenging the government's authority," said Malik Siraj Akbar, a Balochistan expert.
Balochistan, Pakistan's largest province, is home to only about 15 million of the country's 240 million citizens, according to the 2023 census. Despite its rich natural resources, including large reserves of oil, coal, gold, copper and gas, the province remains the country's poorest region.
Balochistan is also home to Pakistan's only deep-water port, Gwadar, the centerpiece of the $60 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) project, which aims to establish a vital trade link between southwestern China and the Arabian Sea.
However, many in the province accuse the Pakistani state of neglecting their needs and exploiting their resources, causing feelings of betrayal and increasing support for separatism.
For nearly two decades, Baloch armed groups have waged a protracted struggle against Pakistani security forces. The government has carried out crackdowns that have resulted in the deaths and disappearances of thousands of Baloch, an ethnic group in the Balochistan region.
Rough and difficult terrain
Since the Taliban returned to power in Afghanistan in August 2021, Pakistan has seen an increase in violent attacks, especially in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, both of which border Afghanistan.
According to the Pakistan Institute of Conflict and Security Studies (PICSS), there were more than 650 attacks in 2023 alone, of which 23% occurred in Balochistan, killing 286 people.
This ongoing violence is exacerbated by the province's unique geography, according to Quetta-based analyst Muhammad Arif.
“Balochistan is a vast region with a dispersed population, which is both an advantage and a disadvantage for both the government and separatist groups. The government cannot provide absolute security, while nationalist groups cannot claim effective control over large areas,” Arif said.
Hoai Phuong (according to Al Jazeera)
Source: https://www.congluan.vn/nguyen-nhan-dang-sau-vu-tan-cong-tham-sat-kinh-hoang-o-pakistan-post309441.html
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