BLA TAKES OVER BALUCHISTAN - PAKISTAN FIGHTS BACK KILLS 177 BLA MILITANTS

Written by Michael Thervil

BLA TAKES OVER BALUCHISTAN - PAKISTAN FIGHTS BACK KILLS 177 BLA MILITANTS | BALOCH LIBERATION ARMY VIDEO: FIDAYEE HAWA BALOCH 12 HOURS BEFORE BEING KILLED BY PAKISTAN MILITARY

[BLA Baluchistan Pakistan] Over the weekend (Saturday) the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) launched a massive coordinated paramilitary attack on the border of Iran and Afghanistan called “Operation Herof” (Operation Black Storm) in Pakistan that led to the killing of 84 Pakistani military personnel, 31 civilians, dozens wounded during the attack, and another 18 people captured. Of those either captured or killed, it consisted of military personnel, intelligence officers, and police officers. The Baloch insurgents carried out their paramilitary operation across 14 locations consisting of 48 targets throughout Baluchistan. In retaliation the Pakistani security forces launched a counter military operation that resulted in the killing of 22 BLA militants overnight for a total of 177 BLA militants killed between Saturday and Sunday.

Sources reported that the BLA a separatist group who seeks to break away from Pakistan, took over an estimated 30 government offices, banks, and prisons. The BLA attacks also included suicide bombers. The attacks by the BLA were not the first time they’ve launched attacks in Pakistan, as they have launched several attacks last year in which they hijacked a train. According to one of the female BLA fighters who took part in the series of attacks over the weekend she stated: “We must stand shoulder to shoulder with [the] Bloch Sarmachers. The enemy’s days are numbered; they don’t have that much strength”. The Bloch Sarmachers are the insurgents.

Currently the Pakistani government is blaming India for sponsoring the terrorist attacks which they said were carried out by the Fitna al Hindustan that occurred over the weekend. Pakistani authorities are referring to the BLA’s actions as a “Shahadat” or “martyrdom”. At the moment, there has been no evidence that has come to surface that may indicate that India contributed to any of the attacks by the BLA over the weekend. Indian authorities have also rejected the claims made by the Pakistani government.

The question being asked by the international community is who is either funding or behind the BLA insurgents? The answer to that question remains ambiguous, but many believe that the BLA receives their funding through illegal activities and means such as kidnapping, smuggling Iranian oil, extortion, and the carrying out of ransoms. It has been also said that funds from local coal mining operations also play a major role in their financing.