Quetta (Balochistan), Jan 9 (NVI) Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) tonight said its freedom fighters controlled Zehri area of Khuzdar district in Balochistan for 10 hours before leaving on their own, in an action which showed that the Baloch people “can easily expel the cowardly occupying (Pakistan) army from our land overnight”.
In a statement, it said the “complete control of Zehri was a rehearsal for the second phase of ‘Operation Herof’.
The first phase of ‘Operation Herof’, an unprecedently massive assault, was conducted by BLA on August 25 last year with hundreds of its fighters carrying out attacks on the Pakistani military and other assets at multiple places across Balochistan and killing over 130 soldiers and injuring hundreds of others during a 20-hour siege.
The operation in Zehri, located around 40 kms from Khuzdar city, was launched at around 12.30 pm (Pakistan time) yesterday by dozens of BLA fighters took control of the Levies police station, bank, NADRA office and municipal committee.
“The Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) commanders took complete control of the Zehri area of Khuzdar for more than ten hours on Wednesday, ending the occupation army’s writ,” its spokesman Jeeyand Baloch said in the statement to NVI.
After ten hours, all the Baloch commanders safely returned to their safe havens, he added.
Two units of the Baloch Liberation Army, the Special Tactical Operations Squad (STOS) and the Fateh Squad, participated in this operation, the spokesman said, adding they were fully supported by the BLA’s intelligence wing “Zarab”.
In Zehri city, the freedom fighters took up positions at various locations, carried out patrolling, made announcements in mosques and also addressed public gatherings.
On this occasion, the fighters compelled the government forces personnel to surrender and seized a large quantity of weapons and ammunition, including 23 Kalashnikovs, government records, vehicles and motorcycles from their possession, and set fire to the buildings, he said.
Meanwhile, a 35-vehicle convoy of the Pakistani army, advancing towards the Zehri city to oust the BLA from control, was ambushed by other fighters at the Zehri Kocho location, Jeeyand Baloch said.
They detonated a remote-controlled IED and then fired with automatic weapons, destroying one vehicle and killing at least 4 personnel and injuring 7, he said.
During this ten-hour occupation, the safety of public life and property was ensured and the Baloch people did not suffer any loss of life or property, the BLA spokesman said.
“The Baloch Liberation Army received full support from the Baloch people and the Baloch nation gave a warm welcome to the freedom fighters at various places,” he said.
Meanwhile, in the Pindran area of Kalat, the freedom fighters took control of the area and detained two employees of a communications company, who are being interrogated.
“The complete control of Zehri, a geographically and strategically important location in Balochistan, within a few hours and the abolition of the writ of the occupier is a practical and clear manifestation of the strength and professional capabilities of the Baloch Liberation Army,” the spokesman said.
“This is also a clear proof that the enemy army is hollow from within, which can do nothing but try its strength on unarmed civilians. Whenever the occupying army faces the Baloch Liberation Army, the enemy is defeated,” he added.
“This is a clear message to the entire nation that if the Baloch gather their strength, we can easily expel this cowardly occupying army from our land overnight,” Jeeyand Baloch said. (NVI)
