The Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) has declared the successful completion of ‘Operation Herof,‘ meaning ‘dark windy storm’. The operation comprised of a series of coordinated attacks that, according to the group, resulted in the deaths of 130 Pakistani military personnel. In the wake of this operation, the BLA is now demanding the immediate withdrawal of both Chinese projects and Pakistani forces from Balochistan.
The operation was also in opposition to the China–Pakistan Economic Corridor, which runs through Balochistan. The BLA said, in a video, “Baloch Liberation Army guarantees you that CPAC will fail miserably on Baloch land”.
Operation Herof commenced on 25 August, anniversary of the death of Akbar Bugti, the former Chief Minister of Balochistan, who was killed during General Musharraf’s regime in 2006. As part of the operation, the BLA has launched attacks and seized control of major Pakistani military camps. Additionally, other BLA units have taken control of highways and roads across Balochistan to support the Majeed Brigade.
According to BLA spokesperson Jeeyand Baloch, the group’s elite Majeed Brigade maintained control of the Bela camp for 20 hours, during which 68 military personnel were reportedly killed and numerous others were injured. The BLA also confirmed the deaths of four of its Fedayeen fighters, including Mahal Baloch, a female combatant who became the third female suicide attacker in the group’s history.
Mahal Baloch, who had adopted the name Zilan Kurd in honour of a Kurdish fighter from Dersim in Southeast Turkey—detonated her vehicle-borne improvised explosive device (VBIED) at the gates of the Bela camp. Baloch’s nom-de-guerre comes from Kurdish fighter Zeynep Kınacı (Zilan), who carried out a suicide attack against a group of Turkish soldiers engaged in a flag raising ceremony in Dersim in 1996.
Reuters reported that during the operation, the BLA fighters targeted military personnel, who were allegedly wearing civilian clothing, as well as other individuals. This resulted in the deaths of more than 70 military personnel. Hameed Zahir, the deputy commissioner of the area, noted that the attackers also killed drivers of trucks transporting coal, underscoring the severity of the attacks. The Pakistani interior ministry has described those killed as innocent citizens.
Responding to these claims, the BLA stated that its fighters specifically targeted military personnel traveling in civilian attire.
But news reports have accused the group of killing Punjabi workers, to discourage them from coming to the region to work.
The Pakistani military’s media wing, Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), confirmed the attacks. It reported that 21 insurgents were killed in counter-operations, along with 14 security personnel (ten military and four law enforcement officers).
In its latest statement following the completion of Operation Herof, a BLA member, on behalf of BLA leader, General Aslan Baloch, declared:
“The motive behind our attacks is clear. We have sent a straightforward message to China and Pakistan: withdraw from Balochistan.”
The BLA frequently targets key infrastructure and security posts in Balochistan and, notably, attacked Pakistan’s stock exchange in Karachi. It specifically targets Chinese interests, accusing Beijing of aiding Islamabad in exploiting Balochistan.
Founded in 2000, the BLA is the largest of several ethnic insurgent groups in Balochistan. It continues to demand the expulsion of Chinese interests and the independence of Balochistan, citing exploitation and pervasive poverty as its key grievances.
