Quetta: Over 24 hours after launching a massive military operation, Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) tonight said it controls Mach city of Bolan district in Balochistan after killing 67 Pakistani soldiers in various pitched gun battles.
“Under Operation ‘Dara-e-Bolan’, Baloch Liberation Army’s 4 units — Fateh Squad, STOS, Intelligence Wing and Majeed Brigade — have controlled the Mach city and all exit and entry routes in adjoining areas for more than 24 hours now,” it spokesman Jeeyand Baloch said in a statement.
The Operation was launched at around 9 PM (Pakistan time) yesterday, with several key installations like Army base, Headquarters of paramilitary Frontier Corps, main police station and railway station in Mach being targeted in a coordinated manner by many BLA fighters.
“In the last phase of Operation Dara-e-Bolan, BLA Majeed Brigade (which specialises in suicide attacks) is engaged in a fierce battle with enemy forces and eliminated at least 12 more enemy personnel on Tuesday evening,” the spokesman said.
“BLA fidayeen have entered the main area of FC headquarters and are carrying out a clearing operation against the enemy forces,” he said.
“All fidayeen of Majeed Brigade have entered the enemy camp under a Baloch oath that they will only return as martyrs,” Jeeyand Baloch said.
He said the fidayeen have two extra bullets in their pockets, which they will use to end their own lives in case they run out of ammunitions.
The number of Majeed Brigade fidayeen will be released after the accomplishment of operation Dara-e-Bolan, he added.
Earlier, in the evening, the spokesman said at least 55 Pakistani security personnel had been killed in fighting at various locations of Mach city.
It said the outfit lost 4 fighters during the operation.
