Key facts
- Pakistan's military reported 42 security personnel killed in three militant attacks in Balochistan since July 6.
- Security forces killed 54 militants during these incidents.
- An overnight attack on a police post in Ziarat district killed nine officers.
- The Baloch Liberation Army has claimed responsibility for numerous attacks in the region.
Pakistan's military announced on Wednesday that 42 police and army personnel have been killed in three militant attacks in the southwestern province of Balochistan since July 6. The military also stated that 54 militants were killed in these incidents.
Earlier, officials confirmed that nine police officers were killed in an overnight coordinated assault by dozens of militants on a police post in the remote Ziarat district of Balochistan. Security forces killed 15 militants during the ensuing gunbattle, and eight abducted police officers were later recovered. The Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) has claimed responsibility for numerous operations in the region, including 27 attacks between April 15 and 25 where they reported 42 Pakistani personnel killed.
Pakistan's Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi attributed the latest attacks to India-backed militants, a claim that India has consistently denied. Residents have staged protests demanding better security following attacks on civilians on the outskirts of Quetta.