Dozens of soldiers, armed attackers killed in southwest Pakistan violence

Unknown fighters reportedly occurrence astatine a conveyance carrying Frontier Corps paramilitaries trying to dismantle a roadblock.

At slightest 18 paramilitary soldiers and much than 20 equipped attackers person been killed successful abstracted incidents crossed southwestern Pakistan, according to officials and section media reports, arsenic sectarian, taste and separatist unit escalates successful the region.

Pakistan’s subject connected Saturday said fighters tried to acceptable up roadblocks overnight successful the restive state of Balochistan, and astir of the deaths took spot arsenic information forces removed them.

A conveyance “carrying unarmed Frontier Corps paramilitaries” adjacent the municipality of Mangochar “came nether gunfire from 70 to 80 equipped assailants who had blocked the road”, a constabulary authoritative told the AFP quality agency, speaking connected information of anonymity.

The serviceman said 3 different paramilitaries were earnestly injured portion 2 escaped unharmed.

At slightest 11 of the attackers were killed successful what the subject described arsenic “clearance operations” connected Saturday.

It was not instantly wide which equipped radical the fighters belonged to. No 1 has yet claimed work for the attack.

Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif successful a connection condemned the attack.

The mineral-rich Balochistan, which borders Iran and Afghanistan, has been the scene of a decade-old rebellion by separatist taste Baloch groups. Several equipped groups besides run there.

On Tuesday, successful a abstracted incident, attackers successful an explosive-laden conveyance were thwarted successful their effort to overrun a Pakistani information station adjacent the borderline with Afghanistan.

At slightest six radical were killed earlier this period successful an onslaught claimed by the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), 1 of the main separatist groups. In November, the BLA besides claimed responsibility for coordinated attacks that killed astatine slightest 39 people, 1 of the highest tolls successful the region.

In August, astatine slightest 73 radical were killed successful Balochistan erstwhile separatist fighters attacked constabulary stations, railway lines and highways, and information forces launched retaliatory operations.

The unit besides comes successful the backdrop of worsening relations betwixt Pakistan and the Taliban rulers of Afghanistan.

A likewise melodramatic uptick successful attacks has been witnessed elsewhere successful Pakistan successful caller months, including successful northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.

In 2024 alone, the subject reported 383 soldiers and 925 fighters killed successful various borderline country clashes.

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Al Jazeera and quality agencies