- Gunmen killed 22 in Balochistan attack
- BLA claimed responsibility, targeting Punjabis
- Balochistan conflict: separatist violence escalating
Gunmen killed at least 22 individuals in southwest Pakistan after pulling them out of their vehicles and verifying their identities, according to officials.
The attack took place overnight on a highway in Balochistan province, where security forces are fighting sectarian, ethnic, and separatist strife.
According to police, the armed guys verified identifying documents before setting fire to the vehicles, explicitly targeting Punjabis.
The Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), a terrorist group, claimed responsibility for the attacks in Musa Khel district.
According to Najibullah Kakar, a top local authority, between 30 and 40 militants were involved.
“They stopped 22 vehicles,” he told the AFP news agency. “Vehicles traveling to and from Punjab were inspected, and individuals from Punjab were identified and shot.”
According to Reuters, the BLA has stated that it is targeting military members traveling in civilian clothing.
Before the incident, the BLA warned the Baloch populace to avoid the roadway, stating that their “fight is against the occupying Pakistani military.”
“We have taken full control of all major highways across Balochistan, blocking them completely,” according to the statement.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed “deep grief and condemnation over the terrorist attack” in a statement issued by his office.
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Balochistan is Pakistan’s largest province, yet while having more resources than the others, it is the least developed.
The BLA and other Baloch separatists have upped attacks on Punjabis and Sinhdis from different parts of Pakistan who labor in the region. They have also attacked foreign energy companies, accusing them of abusing the area and not sharing earnings.
In a similar event in April of this year, nine passengers were removed from a bus in Balochistan and shot dead after their identification was examined.
Over the last 24 hours, the BLA has conducted a series of attacks on various government sites, including police stations and security force camps throughout the region.
Several Western countries, including the United Kingdom and the United States, have labeled the BLA as a global terrorist organization.
