At least 67 militants were killed on Saturday during coordinated clashes with Pakistani security forces across multiple cities in Balochistan, officials said, as the country faced one of the deadliest days of violence in the restive southwestern province this year.
Four security officials told Reuters that the fighting also left 10 police and security personnel dead, along with 11 civilians. Twenty four police officers were injured during the attacks, which unfolded across urban centers including Quetta and the port city of Gwadar.
The violence showed the worsening security situation in Balochistan, where separatist groups have intensified attacks on state targets, migrant workers, and security forces.
Security officials said armed militants launched near simultaneous assaults in several districts, prompting large-scale responses from the army, police, and counterterrorism units. Hospitals in affected areas were placed on emergency alert as casualties mounted.
Pakistan’s Interior Minister, Mohsin Naqvi, condemned the attacks in a statement and praised security forces for pushing back the militants. He said dozens of attackers were killed during the operations.
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The violence came just one day after Pakistan’s military announced it had killed 41 militants in separate intelligence based operations in the same province.
In Gwadar, militants attacked a camp housing migrant workers, killing 11 people, according to senior police officer Atta ur Rehman. He said the victims included five men, three women, and three children, revising an earlier lower death toll.
Security forces later killed six militants in Gwadar while responding to the assault, he added.
The attack highlighted growing concerns over the targeting of non local workers in Balochistan, particularly in areas linked to major infrastructure and port projects.
Officials said the situation remained tense in Noshki district after militants abducted the area’s top civil administrator. In a video posted on social media, the official said he was being held by the attackers. Reuters said it could not independently verify the footage.
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Meanwhile, armed men briefly blocked roads in parts of Quetta, and a blast was reported near a high security zone in the provincial capital. Authorities later said the situation had been brought under control.
The banned Baloch Liberation Army claimed responsibility for Saturday’s attacks, saying it carried out coordinated operations across the province. The group claimed it had killed 84 Pakistani security personnel, a figure not confirmed by officials.
Balochistan, which borders Iran and Afghanistan, has endured a decades long separatist insurgency driven by grievances over political exclusion, resource control, and economic neglect. Attacks have increased in recent months, raising fears of further instability.
Security officials said operations were ongoing to track remaining militants and restore calm, as authorities brace for possible retaliatory attacks.