Islamabad, January 31 (QNA) - More than 70 people were killed Saturday in Balochistan Province, southwestern Pakistan, in coordinated armed attacks carried out by militants affiliated with the so-called Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA).

A Pakistani security source reported that the attacks targeted more than 12 locations across the province, resulting so far in the deaths of at least 10 police and security personnel and injuries to others, while over 50 militants were killed in clashes with security forces.

These attacks come a day after the Pakistan military announced the killing of 41 militants in Balochistan, the impoverished Pakistani province often in flux due to ongoing violence.

The source explained that the attacks, which included widespread gunfire and suicide operations, occurred in several areas, including Quetta, coastal Gwadar, Pasni, Mastung, and Nushki, prompting the army, police, and counter-terrorism units to respond with intensive operations to contain the situation and secure the targeted areas.

The source noted that security forces thwarted several attacks thanks to a rapid and effective response, but the violence left widespread devastation, causing rail service suspensions, disruption of mobile phone services, and traffic in some areas.

According to security sources, at least five civilians were also killed during the clashes, including three women and three children from a single family in coastal Gwadar. Meanwhile, militants freed 30 prisoners in Mastung after attacking a police station and seizing weapons and ammunition, and a local official was abducted in Nushki, according to official sources.

In a statement, the Balochistan Liberation Army claimed responsibility for the attacks, asserting that it targeted military and police installations and blocked highways to delay the army's response.

Earlier today, the Pakistan military announced the elimination of 58 militants during two security operations in different areas of southwestern Pakistan, after tracking militant movements in Balochistan.

Balochistan, which borders Iran and Afghanistan, is the largest province in terms of area, rich in hydrocarbons and minerals, yet simultaneously the poorest, with about 70% of its population living under the poverty line.
Pakistan has faced a longstanding insurgency in the province, but attacks have escalated in western border areas with Afghanistan in recent years.

2024 was one of the deadliest years in the province, with more than 1,600 people killed, nearly half of them members of the army and police, according to data from the Islamabad Center for Security Research and Studies. (QNA)