Balochistan: Several Pakistani soldiers killed in different attacks, weapons confiscated

QUETTA: At least nine Pakistani security personnel and three officials of oil and gas Exploration Company were killed in three different attacks on Monday in Balochistan’s Awaran and Dera Bugti districts.

The Pakistani media and security officials confirmed that at least six officials of the bomb disposal squad were killed and two injured in a rocket attack in Mashkay, a sub-district of Awaran district in Balochistan.

The killed security forces personnel have been named as Hawaldar Shabbir, Sepoy Sheraz, Sepoy Bashir, Sepoy Sharaj, Sepoy Allah Nawaz and Sepoy Abid whereas the wounded have been named as two injured include Sepoy Ehsan and Rashid.

Meanwhile, the spokesperson of the pro-liberation armed group, the Balochistan Liberation Front (BLF) Mr Gwahram Baloch, in a statement to media said that fighters from his organisation have killed at least nine Pakistani soldiers in two different attacks.

The BLF spokesperson said that on 2 July 2018 they have ambushed a three-vehicle convoy of Pakistani force between Bundiki and Tank area in Mashkay. As a result of this attack at least eight soldiers were killed and two others wounded.

The spokesperson said that one of the vehicles was completely destroyed and the Baloch fighters have also confiscated the weapons of killed soldiers.

The BLF spokesperson said that after the Pakistani forces have sent three gunship helicopters in the region and started fresh military offensives.

‘It is feared that the frustrated Pakistani forces will target unarmed innocent civilians to conceal their defeat at the hands of Baloch fighters, he added.

Gwahram Baloch said in another attack in Shah Batail region of Kolwah district Awaran Baloch fighters attack Pakistani forces when they were erecting a new check post.

At least one Pakistani soldier was killed in this attack and one was wounded. ‘Such attacks will continue till the freedom of Balochistan,’ Mr Baloch said in his statement.

In their latest tweet, the BLF said they will soon release the video of the attack on Pakistani forces in Mashkay in which eight soldiers were killed and two wounded.

On the other hand, the Baloch Republican Army (BRA) has also accepted responsibility for an attack on an oil and gas exploration company in Ziankoh’s Toba area in district Dera Bugti Balochistan on Monday.

According to details, the company’s vehicle hit a landmine as result three officials including an engineer were killed and five others wounded.

The assistant commissioner of Dera Bugti Mohammad Hussain told the Voice of America that the oil and gas exploration company team was busy surveying in Loti’s Toba Notkani area when their vehicle collided with a landmine.

‘At the time of the blast, there were eight officials onboard, three of whom died on spot and five others wounded. The five wounded have been shifted to a hospital in Sui. Two the wounded are in a critical state,’ he said.

The BRA accepted responsibility for the attack and said that it was a remote-controlled attack which destroyed the vehicle of the company.

Sarbaz Baloch, the spokesperson of BRA, said, ‘we will not allow the plunder of Baloch national resources without the consent of the Baloch nation. We warned foreign companies not to support Pakistan in exploiting Balochistan’s natural resources otherwise they will be targeted.’

BRA also in its statement vowed to continue its activities till freedom of Balochistan.