At least 145 people died following coordinated attacks across Pakistan’s Balochistan province on Saturday, marking one of the deadliest confrontations between security forces and separatist militants in decades. Provincial authorities confirmed that 18 civilians and 15 security personnel were killed when armed assailants targeted police stations, paramilitary installations and a high-security prison.
Pakistani forces killed at least 92 militants during the Saturday attacks, according to military statements. Combined with 41 insurgents reportedly killed in military raids the previous day, the total number of militants killed over a 48-hour period reached 133, officials said.
The banned Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) claimed responsibility for the violence, which began around 3am local time and spanned at least nine districts across the province. The group described the operation as simultaneous strikes on military and administrative targets.
Armed militants used guns, grenades and suicide vests to storm multiple locations. In Quetta, the provincial capital, two police officers died in a grenade attack on a police vehicle. Authorities declared an emergency at hospitals across the city as gunbattles erupted at multiple police facilities.
Dozens of insurgents attacked a prison in Mastung district, freeing more than 30 inmates, according to police. In Nushki, militants attempted to storm paramilitary headquarters but security forces repelled the assault. Additional attacks were reported in Gwadar, Kharan, Pasni, Dalbandin and other districts.
In Gwadar, militants attacked a camp housing migrant workers, killing 11 people including five men, three women and three children. Security forces killed six militants while responding to that attack, a senior police officer said.
Officials described the situation as critical in Noshki after militants abducted the area’s senior civil administrator. Rail services from Balochistan to other parts of Pakistan were suspended after insurgents damaged tracks during the attacks.
Pakistan’s Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi accused India of backing the attackers, an allegation New Delhi has repeatedly denied and did not immediately address. Sarfraz Bugti, Balochistan’s chief minister, used the government phrase “Fitna al-Hindustan” when describing the militants, suggesting alleged Indian involvement.
The BLA released propaganda videos showing female fighters participating in the operations. Provincial officials said many attacks were thwarted by security forces, with clearance operations continuing into Sunday.
Security analysts described the number of militants killed in a single day as unprecedented in Balochistan. The violence reflects a renewed surge in attacks by separatist groups amid longstanding tensions rooted in political grievances and demands for greater autonomy.
Balochistan, Pakistan’s largest province by area but also its poorest, has endured decades of insurgency by ethnic Baloch groups seeking independence from the central government in Islamabad. The mineral-rich province borders Iran and Afghanistan, creating strategic anxieties for Pakistani authorities.
Bugti told reporters that security forces have killed more than 700 militants in Balochistan over the past year. He repeatedly accused India and Afghanistan of supporting the BLA, claiming senior leaders of the group operate from Afghan territory.
The attacks came amid Pakistan’s efforts to attract foreign investment in Balochistan’s mining sector. In September 2025, a United States metals company signed a $500 million investment agreement with Pakistan, one month after the State Department designated the BLA and its armed wing as a foreign terrorist organization.
Residents described scenes of panic following Saturday’s violence. Khan Muhammad, a Quetta resident, said armed men roamed openly on roads before security forces arrived, calling it a very scary day in the city’s history.
The Balochistan insurgency dates back decades, with ethnic Baloch groups accusing Pakistan’s government of exploiting the province’s natural resources while marginalizing local populations. The region’s porous borders with Iran and Afghanistan provide militants with strategic depth and cross-border movement capabilities.
Mobile phone services were jammed and traffic disrupted in affected districts as security operations continued. Internet services were also suspended in some areas during the crackdown.
The Pakistani military condemned the attacks as attempts to undermine stability in Balochistan. Authorities said most assaults were repelled through swift responses from army, police and counterterrorism units.
The violence highlights the persistent security challenges facing Pakistan in its southwestern frontier, where separatist groups have intensified operations in recent months. The Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), a separate group allied with Afghanistan’s Taliban, has also conducted attacks in the region.
