Balochistan: Zehri Town Under Siege, Four Killed in Drone Attack

SHAAL (QUETTA):  The situation in the Zehri area of Khuzdar district, Balochistan, continues to deteriorate as Pakistani security forces intensify their military aggressions 

Reports from the ground describe widespread destruction, civilian casualties, and a complete collapse of infrastructure, with the area currently under full siege.

According to local sources, a recent drone strike by Pakistani forces in the Noor Gamma area of Zehri killed four civilians who were reportedly sitting near their crops when they were targeted. This follows earlier air and drone strikes in Zehri, in which at least seven people were killed and five injured. Among the dead were several women, raising serious concerns about the impact of the Pakistani forces offensives on the civilian population.

Zehri, located approximately 120 kilometres from Khuzdar city, has been cut off from the outside world. A strict curfew has been imposed, with all entry and exit routes sealed. Residents report that homes have been destroyed, crops torched, and vital infrastructure,  including water supplies and solar power systems, severely damaged.

“The situation is dire,” said one local source, speaking on condition of anonymity. “People have no access to food, medicine, or hospitals. Communication lines are down, and even transportation has come to a standstill. Families are trapped in their homes, with no way to seek help.”

Heavy shelling and mortar fire continue to strike villages including Kochav and Chashma, causing further destruction of homes and farmland. Cotton fields in Kochav have reportedly been decimated, and similar damage is being reported in nearby areas such as Dandar and Morenki. The ongoing bombardment has not only inflicted material losses but also triggered widespread fear among the local population.

Due to a media and internet blackout imposed on the region, independent verification of the casualties and damage remains difficult.

Pakistani military officials claim that the operations are targeting pro-freedom Baloch militants and claimed to have killed several armed combatants. However, so far no Baloch group has confirmed these claims, and no independent assessment has been made possible due to restricted access.

The current escalation follows a drone strike on September 18 in the Tirasani area of Zehri, which killed three people, including two women and injured five others, among them a child. Similar incidents involving civilian casualties have been reported in earlier phases of the operation.

Locals and rights groups are raising alarms about what they say is a pattern of violence against non-combatants under the guise of counterinsurgency. They argue that the ongoing media blackout is a deliberate attempt by authorities to prevent international scrutiny of the military’s actions in the region.