Key Points
Pakistan says security forces have killed 177 militants in Balochistan after large-scale coordinated attacks by the Balochistan Liberation Army, which killed at least 31 civilians and 17 security personnel.
Pakistan's military labelled the militants as "India-backed terrorist". India has denied the allegations, calling the claims “baseless” and a diversion from internal issues.
Balochistan is a resource-rich province in Pakistan which has long sought independence. Today it is in the centre of gropolitical tensions as both China and the US seek control over its resources.
Militants linked to the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) launched a series of attacks across southwestern Balochistan on Saturday, 31 January 2026. Nearly 50 people – 31 civilians and 17 security personnel – were killed in the shootings and bombings. On 1 February 2026, the Pakistan military announced that it had killed 145 militants, with this number being revised to 177 on 2 February 2026.
Pakistan’s government has labelled the attackers as “India-backed terrorists”, claiming they were supported by intelligence agencies in Afghanistan and New Delhi. Both countries rejected these allegations. Baloch militant activities have increased in both size and scale in recent years, as Balochistan itself has become a critical region thanks to its rich resources.
As global supply chains centred around rare earth minerals are sent into flux amidst rising geopolitical tensions, the recent attacks signal a critical moment for the Baloch liberation movement and Pakistan’s internal security and international relations.
The violence began early 31 January 2026, when armed groups carried out simultaneous gun and bomb attacks in at least 12 towns and cities across the Balochistan province, including Quetta, Mastung, Nushki, Dalbandin, Kharan, Panjgur, Tump, Gwadar and Pasni. Security and government installations were targeted, and roads were briefly blocked in urban areas.
Balochistan Provincial Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti said the assaults were carried out by the outlawed Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA). Authorities confirmed that 31 civilians, including five women, and 17 police and security personnel were killed in the initial attacks. Officials said hospitals received at least 167 bodies of militants for identification and processing.
Provincial government spokesperson Shahid Rind said security forces killed 22 more militants overnight, taking the two-day militant death toll to 177. Pakistan’s military earlier said 92 fighters were killed on Saturday, with dozens more in subsequent operations. Bugti described the figure as the highest number of fighters killed in decades.
The BLA claimed responsibility and said it had launched a coordinated operation. The group asserted that it had killed large numbers of security personnel and released a video showing a female militant. Bugti rejected the scale of the BLA’s claims and said the number of attackers was far lower than reports suggesting 1,000 to 2,000, estimating the attackers in the latest wave at between 200 and 250, while putting the broader militant network strength in the province at 4,000 to 5,000.
Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif said forces responded in a “prepared and timely” manner. He noted that two of the attacks involved female fighters and said recent assaults were increasingly targeting civilians, labourers and low-income communities. Minister of State for Interior of Pakistan Talal Chaudhry said attackers entered hospitals, schools, banks and markets dressed as civilians and used ordinary people as human shields.
Authorities suspended mobile and internet services in Quetta, Mastung, Kalat, Khuzdar, Nushki, Dalbandin and Kharan during clearance operations. Balochistan’s Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Hamza Shafqaat said services were expected to resume on Tuesday. Security forces tightened patrols, sealed roads in parts of Quetta and restricted movement. In the capital, burnt vehicles and damaged buildings were visible after the fighting.
The Pakistan Senate unanimously adopted a resolution condemning the attacks and called for a transparent and swift investigation to bring perpetrators, facilitators and any local or international sponsors to justice.
Islamabad accused India of backing the militants, referring to them as “Fitna-al-Hindustan”. Bugti also alleged that senior BLA leaders were operating from Afghan territory. Both New Delhi and Kabul denied the accusations. India’s Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said, “We categorically reject the baseless allegations made by Pakistan,” and added that Islamabad should focus on addressing “longstanding demands of its people in the region” and its record of “suppression, brutality and violation of human rights”.
Balochistan, Pakistan’s largest province by area but among its least populated and poorest, has seen a decades-long insurgency led by ethnic Baloch groups seeking greater autonomy and a larger share of natural resource revenues. The province borders Iran and Afghanistan and includes part of the Arabian Sea coast. It is also central to major infrastructure projects, including the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor.
The BLA has also accused China of supporting the Pakistani military in its occupation of Balochistan in return for access to its rare earth minerals.. Meanwhile, recent talks between Pakistani and US officials signal rising Western interest in the region.
The BLA is one of the most prominent separatist groups in the province. It seeks independence for Balochistan and accuses the federal government of exploiting the region’s gas and mineral wealth without benefiting local communities. The group regularly targets Pakistani security forces and has also attacked civilians, including labourers from other provinces and foreign nationals working on projects.
In earlier years, the BLA claimed responsibility for major incidents including a train hijacking in March 2025 that killed 31 civilians and security personnel and involved hundreds of hostages.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif praised the military response and said the fight against terrorism would continue until its “complete eradication”. Despite the heavy militant casualties reported by authorities, the scale and coordination of the attacks have underscored the persistence of violence in Balochistan and the continuing cycle of insurgent action and military response in the province.
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