Quetta: Around 6 hours after launching massive and widespread ‘Operation Hereof’, Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) claimed to have killed 102 Pakistani soldiers in ongoing attacks at an Army camp and military checkpoints at all major highways in Balochistan.
The Fidayeen (suicide attackers) of ‘Majeed Brigade’ of BLA have killed over 40 soldiers during the attack on main Army camp in Bela, the freedom-seeking outfit’s spokesman Jeeyand Baloch said in a statement.
The statement issued at 5.04 am (Pakistan time) said the Bela army camp continued to be in control of BLA for “the past 6 hours”.
“Under the Baloch Liberation Army’s fidayeen operation “Herof,” the fidayeen unit of the BLA’s Majeed Brigade attacked the occupying forces’ Bela camp, killing over 40 military personnel so far and holding control of a significant portion of the camp for the last six hours,” the spokesman said.
“All the fidayeen are still safe and in contact with us,” he said, adding the BLA fighters continue to “advance against the enemy” at the camp.
Giving details, he said the BLA attackers detonated two explosives-laden vehicles at the camp’s main entrance and nearby security posts, destroying them last night.
“Following this, the Herof fidayeen unit of the Majeed Brigade entered the camp, killing more than 40 military personnel and successfully taking control of a large part of the camp,” the spokesman said.
During this time, a military convoy which arrived to reinforce the troops inside the camp was forced to retreat after being attacked by the fidayeen, Jeeyand Baloch said.
Meanwhile, all highways across Balochistan have been seized by the BLA’s Fatah Squad and STOS by setting up checkpoints, he said.
“So far, 62 personnel have been killed in the blockades and clashes with the military, bringing the total number of enemy military personnel killed to 102,” the spokesman said.
Over 22 military, police, and Levies personnel are in BLA custody, he said.
The majority of those killed at checkpoints were traveling in civilian clothes on passenger buses heading to their camps, where they were identified and subsequently killed by BLA fighters, the spokesman said.
He said blockades have been set up by the BLA on the Gwadar-Jiwani Coastal Highway, Mand-Turbat Highway in the Hotabad area, Abdoi Highway in Tegran, Turbat-Heronk CPEC Highway, Quetta-Taftan Highway, Noshki-Kharan Highway, Mastung-Khadkucha Highway, Kalat- Karachi Highway, Bolan and Koh-e-Sulaiman’s main highways, Balgtar-Panjgur and Sibi-Mithri Highways.
During these operations, BLA fighters targeted a military convoy on the Mand-Turbat road in the Hotabad area, resulting in the destruction of a vehicle and the deaths of five Pakistani soldiers, he said.
In another attack, BLA fighters took control of a toll plaza at Garari in Kalat and captured the personnel present, the spokesman said.
When a military convoy arrived to rescue them, BLA fighters ambushed the convoy, killing at least 15 soldiers, he added.
In Bolan, BLA fighters attacked an FC convoy during a blockade, killing 16 Frontier Corps personnel and seizing their weapons, he said.
Five Levies personnel were captured during the attack but were released after being warned, as they were Baloch, the spokesman said.
Additionally, the railway track passing through Bolan was destroyed by an explosion, Jeeyand Baloch said.
In Turbat, BLA fighters continued their patrols and shot down a surveillance drone near D-Baloch, he said.
