Hundreds Of Baloch Fighters Storm Pakistan’s Chagai Town, Claim Control Of Govt Buildings: Reports

Hundreds of armed Baloch fighters have reportedly launched a coordinated assault on the town of Chagai, with local sources claiming they have taken control of multiple government installations, banks and police facilities.

According to reports, the fighters entered Chagai carrying both light and heavy weapons before targeting key state infrastructure across the town. Local sources alleged that government offices, Levies stations, police stations and banks have fallen under their control, effectively giving the fighters influence over large parts of the town.

Videos and eyewitness accounts circulating on social media also claimed that a bank and several government-owned properties were set on fire during the assault. The authenticity of these visuals, however, could not be independently verified.

As of publication, there has been no official confirmation from the Pakistani military or the federal government regarding the extent of the reported takeover.

Why Chagai Matters

The reported attack is particularly significant because Chagai is among Pakistan’s most strategically important districts.

The district hosts the Reko Diq copper-gold project, considered one of the world’s largest undeveloped copper and gold deposits, and is also home to the Saindak Copper-Gold Mine.

Beyond its mineral wealth, Chagai shares borders with both Iran and Afghanistan, making it a critical corridor for border security, trade and regional connectivity. Any prolonged disruption in the district could have implications for Pakistan’s security apparatus and economic interests.

Attack Comes Just Two Days After Deadly Assault On Police Post

The reported offensive in Chagai comes barely 48 hours after another major militant attack rocked Balochistan.

On July 7, dozens of militants stormed a remote police post in Ziarat, killing nine police personnel, including two Station House Officers (SHOs), in one of the deadliest attacks on security forces in recent months.

During the assault, eight policemen were allegedly abducted, but Pakistani authorities later claimed they were rescued during a follow-up security operation.

Following the attack, officials launched a large-scale clearance operation and claimed that 15 militants were killed. Pakistani authorities identified those killed as “Fitna al-Khawarij”, the term officially used by the state for members of the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan.

BLA Under Suspicion

While no group formally claimed responsibility for the Ziarat attack, suspicion largely fell on the Baloch Liberation Army, which had recently claimed responsibility for a suicide attack on a security post in the coastal town of Jiwani.

The TTP also maintains a significant presence in Balochistan, making the province one of Pakistan’s most volatile regions.

Balochistan, Pakistan’s largest but least populous province, has faced a decades-long insurgency driven by separatist groups that accuse Islamabad of exploiting the region’s vast natural resources while neglecting local communities.

In recent years, insurgent organisations have increasingly targeted security forces, government installations and projects linked to strategic infrastructure and mining.

The latest reported assault on Chagai, if confirmed, would represent another major escalation in the deteriorating security situation in the resource-rich province and raise fresh questions about Pakistan’s ability to contain the widening insurgency.

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