At least two soldiers were martyred and three others wounded when an improvised explosive device (IED) struck a convoy of security forces in the Dasht area of Kech district. In a swift retaliatory response, six militants were killed in a subsequent clash, and the area was later cleared as part of an ongoing search operation.
According to security sources, the incident occurred when a convoy of the security forces, travelling from Gwadar to Turbat, reached the vicinity of Kunchati Cross in the Dasht region. At that point, an IED, reportedly planted by the separatist group referred to as Fitna-e-Hindustan (a term used for the banned Baloch Liberation Army or BLA), detonated.
The blast resulted in the martyrdom of Sepoy Muhammad Ijaz and Sepoy Rahmat Shah. The injured personnel have been identified as Arslan Khalid, Anis Ahmed, and Muhammad Sohail, who were rushed to a nearby military medical facility. Their condition is reported to be stable.
Following the explosion, a fierce exchange of fire broke out between the militants and security forces. During the encounter, six terrorists linked to Indian-sponsored Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), were killed. The forces then launched a search and clearance operation in the area to eliminate any remaining threat and recover evidence.
This deadly incident comes on the heels of increased counterterrorism operations in the region. Just two days earlier, in the same broader area, security forces had conducted an intelligence-based operation that resulted in the neutralisation of two terrorists linked to the BLA, also know as Fitna al-Hindustan. One of the deceased was later identified as Atique Miran, a senior commander of the Baloch Liberation Front (BLF), a group closely allied with the BLA but functioning under a separate structure.
On that same day, in a separate operation in Kech district’s Sherbandi area, five terrorists associated with the BLA were also neutralized, marking a significant blow to the operational infrastructure of the separatist networks in the region.
Analysts believe that today’s attack may have been a retaliatory response by militant elements in light of the recent setbacks they have suffered. Some unconfirmed reports suggest that the IED attack might have involved a suicide bomber, although officials have yet to verify this claim.
The Pakistani state has reiterated its unwavering commitment to a policy of zero tolerance toward all terrorist and separatist outfits, including the BLA and BLF. In line with this policy, security forces continue to intensify their operations in the region, aiming to dismantle militant strongholds, disrupt supply lines, and secure local communities.
Officials assert that, with continued public cooperation and support, the state will succeed in permanently eliminating the scourge of terrorism from the region. “Our resolve remains unshaken, and our operations will continue until peace and stability are fully restored to Balochistan,” a senior official commented.
