At least 18 soldiers of the Pakistan Army were killed in a terrorist attack in Pakistan’s southwest province of Balochistan, the army’s media wing confirmed on Saturday.
According to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) statement, the attack happened in the Mangocher area of Kalat district where militants “attempted to establish roadblocks late on the night of January 31 and February 1”.
The statement maintained that this “cowardly act of terrorism” was carried out “on behest of inimical and hostile forces” to target innocent civilians.
Security forces and law enforcement agencies responded, engaging the attackers and killing 12 terrorists. However, during the intense operation, 18 personnel lost their lives.
“The security forces of Pakistan, in step with the nation, remain determined to thwart attempts at sabotaging peace, stability, and progress in Balochistan. The sacrifices of our brave soldiers further strengthen our resolve,” the statement further read.
Speaking on condition of anonymity, a police official told AFP, that a vehicle "carrying unarmed Frontier Corps paramilitaries” near the town of Mangochar "came under gunfire from 70 to 80 armed assailants who had blocked the road, killing 17 of the passengers and a paramilitary who came to their aid”.
In a separate statement released shortly after, the ISPR stated that 11 terrorists were killed in a separate operation conducted in Balochistan’s Harnai District. Bringing the total number of militants killed in the province in 24 hours to 23.
Today’s attack is among the deadliest in recent months as Pakistan battles an uptick in militant violence, particularly in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Earlier this month, at least six people, including paramilitary troops, were killed and more than 25 injured in a bombing targeting a Frontier Corps (FC) convoy in Pakistan’s Balochistan province.
The attack occurred approximately seven kilometers (four miles) west of Turbat city as the bus carrying FC troops traveled from Karachi to Turbat.
Uptick in violence
The year 2024 was Pakistan’s deadliest year of terrorist violence since 2015, with attacks surging 70% and claiming 852 lives across the country, a security report revealed.
The Pakistan Institute for Peace Studies (PIPS), a think tank focused on security issues, found that terrorist incidents have risen sharply since the Taliban took power in neighboring Afghanistan in 2021, reversing years of improving security in the region.
The report, titled ‘The Pakistan Security Report 2024’, documented 521 attacks throughout the year that left 1,092 people injured. The report warns that continued escalation could return Pakistan to the volatile conditions that preceded the 2014 terrorist attack on the Army Public School (APS) in Peshawar.
More than 95% of terrorist incidents were concentrated in two provinces, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and Balochistan.
KP bore the brunt of the violence, experiencing 295 attacks — including five targeting religious minorities — which resulted in 509 fatalities and 517 injuries. This represents a 69% increase in attacks and a 21% rise in deaths compared to the previous year.
Balochistan also experienced an unprecedented 84% surge in terrorist activity, enduring 202 attacks that claimed 322 lives and left 534 people wounded.
The banned Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) and Balochistan Liberation Front (BLF) emerged as primary aggressors, with BLA-orchestrated attacks alone causing 225 deaths — a toll comparable to the casualties inflicted by the outlawed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).
