Gunmen kill 39 in ‘coordinated’ attacks in Southwest Pakistan

Separatist militants launched deadly attacks across southwestern Pakistan on Monday, killing at least 39 people in a series of “coordinated” assaults, primarily targeting ethnic Punjabis.

The Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), the most active militant separatist group in the province, claimed responsibility for the attacks in a statement released to AFP.

One of the deadliest incidents occurred on a highway in Balochistan province, where militants stopped vehicles and shot 23 people dead, marking one of the worst shootings in the region in recent years.

Shahid Rind, a spokesman for the Balochistan provincial government, confirmed the coordinated nature of the attacks, which took place in at least three districts.

In Musakhail district, 30 to 40 gunmen halted buses, vans, and trucks on a highway connecting Punjab with Balochistan.

“Vehicles traveling to and from Punjab were inspected, and individuals from Punjab were identified and shot,” said Najibullah Kakar, a senior official in the area.

The BLA, in its statement, claimed to have targeted only security personnel and warned the Baloch public to avoid highways, stating their “fight is against the occupying Pakistani military.”

In a separate attack in Bolan district, militants blew up a railway bridge, leaving six dead bodies nearby, according to Javed Baloch, a senior government official.

Meanwhile, ten more people, including security personnel, were killed in Kalat district.

Balochistan, despite its wealth of untapped natural resources, remains Pakistan’s poorest province and has long been a battleground for sectarian, ethnic, and separatist violence.

The BLA has intensified its attacks in recent years, often targeting security forces and civilians from other provinces, accusing them of exploiting the region’s resources.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif condemned the attacks, expressing “deep grief and condemnation” in a statement issued by his office on Monday.

The surge in militant violence has intensified since the Taliban’s return to power in Afghanistan in 2021, with Pakistan witnessing numerous attacks, particularly in Balochistan and the northwestern province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Last year, there were at least 170 militant attacks in Balochistan alone, resulting in the deaths of 151 civilians and 114 security personnel.