The Baloch Liberation Army carried out a number of attacks in southwestern Pakistan on Sunday, resulting in 145 deaths and a myriad of questions about the region's stability.
Jeeyand Baloch, spokesperson for the Baloch Liberation Army, put out a statement about the attacks, as Pakistan claimed it had killed dozens of the attackers.
The BBC noted on February 1 that “a series of gun and bomb attacks across Pakistan's south-western Balochistan province killed 18 civilians and 15 security service personnel, the country's military says.”
The Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) claimed that “under the second phase of Operation Hero, Baloch Liberation Army freedom fighters have launched simultaneous, coordinated operations in ten cities of Balochistan."
"With the coordinated presence of Baloch freedom fighters in Quetta, Noshki, Mastung, Dalbandin, Kalat, Kharan, Gwadar, Pasni, Tump, and Buleda, the enemy’s military and administrative structures have been targeted, inflicting heavy losses," it said. "As a result of operations in various urban areas, the enemy’s movements have been restricted, and the enemy army has been pushed back in several locations.”
Meanwhile, the BBC noted that Pakistan's “security forces responding to the violence killed at least 92 attackers, the military said. The Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) rebel group had earlier said it was behind the attacks, claiming dozens of soldiers were killed.”
BLA attacks in Pakistan leave 145 dead
Considered one of the deadliest days in the recent conflict in the Balochistan region of Pakistan, the state “Pakistan accused India of supporting the BLA. Delhi has repeatedly denied such accusations,” the BBC report noted.
Balochistan is important because it borders a region of the same name in Iran.
The Baloch, like Kurds, have seen their lands divided by these countries. Kurds, for instance, saw colonial powers carve their homeland up into Iraq, Syria, Iran, and Turkey in the 1920s.
The Baloch have felt suppressed in both Pakistan and Iran, and the shared fight against these groups has brought both states closer together.
The BLA claims they struck a number of Pakistan army camps, and claimed that “at the same time, the Coastal Highway has also been targeted, disrupting the logistical movements of occupying forces. As a result of the pressure on this highway, the enemy’s daily military operations have been disrupted, and its movements at various points have been completely paralyzed.”
The group also declared that numerous units within the BLA participated in the complex attacks.
BLA said that after fifteen hours of fighting, their attack was still ongoing. Even on the morning of February 1, they also said they continued to control some areas.
By the afternoon of February 1, media reports in Pakistan said they had eliminated up to 145 of the fighters. The Economic Times also reported that India rejected Pakistan’s accusations.
Pakistan has often accused India of backing the Baloch, while historically, it is Pakistan that has backed extremists targeting India. For instance, the perpetrators of the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, which killed more than 160 people, were linked to Pakistan. The state was also behind the 1999 Kargil war in Kashmir.
The BLA attacks may prove to be yet another incident in the long conflict in Balochistan. However, it could also play into larger questions about how restive the Baloch region in Pakistan and Iran may have become.
In addition, it may affect broader geopolitics in South Asia, including relations between Pakistan and India, as well as events in Afghanistan. Many issues are at stake.
States bordering Iran have become increasingly important amid US-Iran tensions. In addition, states in Central Asia are important to the US.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Special Envoy Sergio Gor “spoke today with Turkmenistan’s Foreign Minister Rashid Meredov. They discussed progress in enhancing regional security and economic prosperity in Central Asia. Secretary Rubio reaffirmed the United States’ commitment to partnering with Turkmenistan to grow business ties and strengthen the bilateral relationship,” the US Department of State said last week on January 30.
The US Secretary of the Army was also in Turkmenistan last week, before heading to India on January 30.