BLA Claims 25 Pakistani Soldiers Killed in Two Attacks, Releases Combat Video

New Delhi: The Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) has claimed that it killed 25 Pakistani military personnel in two separate attacks in Pakistan’s restive Balochistan province, in a fresh escalation of the long-running insurgency. The separatist group also released a cinematic-style video that it said showed footage from one of the attacks.

According to the BLA, its Fateh Squad ambushed a Pakistani military convoy at Ziarat Cross, targeting four vehicles. The group claimed that two vehicles, including a military truck, were destroyed and 18 personnel were killed. Five other personnel were reportedly injured but managed to escape, while the attackers seized weapons from the convoy.

The BLA's media outlet, Hakkal, released a one-minute-and-11-second video trailer purportedly showing the aftermath of the Ziarat Cross attack. The footage appears to show armed fighters near burning military vehicles, with what appear to be bodies at the site and weapons being displayed. The group said a longer version of the footage would be released later.

In a separate attack in the Hajika area of Surab, the BLA claimed its Special Tactical Operations Squad (STOS) remotely detonated an explosives-laden vehicle targeting a Pakistani military vehicle. According to the group, the blast destroyed the vehicle and killed seven military personnel.

The BLA's claims have not been independently verified, and Pakistani authorities had not immediately issued a response confirming the reported military casualties, according to the reports.

The attacks were followed by a major Pakistani security operation in the province. Pakistan's military said its forces killed 48 militants during intelligence-based raids in Mastung, Sibi, Quetta and Kalat over a 72-hour period. The military said those killed included members of outlawed groups such as the BLA and Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).

The latest tit-for-tat violence highlights the continuing security crisis in Balochistan, Pakistan's largest province, where separatist groups have waged an insurgency for decades. The BLA has demanded independence for Balochistan, while Pakistan has repeatedly launched military operations against insurgents in the region.

The BLA's Fateh Squad, which the group says carried out the Ziarat Cross ambush, has previously been linked to major attacks, including the March 2025 hijacking of the Jaffar Express. The latest attacks come amid a broader resurgence in militant violence in Balochistan, with insurgent groups increasingly targeting Pakistani security forces and military installations.

The escalation now marks another cycle of attacks and retaliation between Baloch separatists and Pakistani security forces, further underscoring the deteriorating security situation in the province.

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