Pakistan forces hunt Baloch separatists after coordinated attacks kill over 120, with internet cut and Quetta deserted following BLA’s claim of responsibility.
QUETTA: Pakistani forces were hunting on Sunday for separatists behind coordinated attacks in Balochistan province. The government vowed retaliation after more than 120 people were killed.
Around a dozen attack sites, including the provincial capital Quetta, remained sealed off. Troops combed the area a day after militants stormed banks, jails and military installations.
The military said at least 18 civilians and 15 security personnel were killed. It added that at least 92 militants were also killed in the response.
An official told AFP that a deputy district commissioner had been abducted during the violence. Mobile internet service across the province has been jammed for more than 24 hours.
Road traffic is disrupted and train services are suspended. Quetta lay quiet on Sunday, with major roads and businesses deserted.
Shattered metal fragments and mangled vehicles littered some roads. “Anyone who leaves home has no certainty of returning safe and sound,” said Hamdullah, a 39-year-old shopkeeper in Quetta.
The Pakistan military said it was conducting “sanitisation operations” in the targeted areas. It vowed to bring the perpetrators to justice.
The Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), the province’s most active militant separatist group, claimed responsibility. The group said it targeted military installations, police and civil administration officials.
Saturday’s attacks came a day after the military said it killed 41 insurgents in two separate operations. Pakistan has battled a Baloch separatist insurgency for decades.
The mineral-rich province sees frequent attacks on security forces and foreign nationals. It is Pakistan’s poorest province despite an abundance of untapped natural resources.
Balochistan lags behind the rest of the country in education, employment and economic development. Separatists have intensified attacks on Pakistanis from other provinces working in the region.
They have also targeted foreign energy firms they believe are exploiting the region’s riches. The separatists attacked a train with 450 passengers on board last year, sparking a deadly two-day siege.
