Heavily armed militants ambushed a convoy in the southwestern province of Baluchistan, killing at least 14 security force personnel, Pakistan said Thursday (Oct. 15).
The convoy, carrying personnel from the oil and gas sector from Gwadar to Karachi, was attacked by a large group of militants on the main coastal highway linking the two cities, the military statement said.
The statement added that the paramilitary forces escorting the civilian vehicles engaged the attackers in a fierce firefight. The statement mentioned that the “terrorists” “also suffered great losses” and that the “effective” response of the security forces ensured the “safety” of all non-military members of the convoy. Leave the area.”
The statement said, “Such cowardly acts by evil elements to undermine peace, stability and economic development in Baluchistan will never be allowed to succeed.”
Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan announced the news of the deadly attack and ordered an urgent investigation.
Balochistan Insurgency
Baloch separatists claim to have orchestrated the violence. Sparsely populated Baluchistan has had a separatist insurgency for years, but military officials say a sustained crackdown in recent years has weakened the insurgency.
Attacks on security forces have been sporadic. At times, Chinese workers have also been targeted. These workers have been linked to large Chinese-funded infrastructure development projects in the region.
Militants affiliated with the Pakistani Taliban and the Islamic State are also active in Baluchistan. The region is rich in mineral and natural gas resources.
Thursday’s ambush took place in the same area as an attack early last year. At that time, 15 shuttle bus passengers, mostly members of the Pakistani navy and coast guard, were killed by militants.
Pakistani officials allege that rival India is funding the separatist insurgency. New Delhi denies the allegations.
The Attack in Waziristan
The Pakistani military also confirmed Thursday that a roadside bomb attack on a security forces convoy near Pakistan’s northwestern border with Afghanistan killed at least six troops, including an officer.
The outlawed Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) claimed to have planned the attack, which took place in North Waziristan, a former militant hideout in the country. The area used to be a militant hideout. In its statement, the group claimed to have killed more people than officially confirmed, although the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) often exaggerates its successes.
The Waziristan border region has been the scene of major military operations in recent years. Pakistani officials say that these operations have cleared militant groups from the mountainous region, with the exception of a few isolated pockets.
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