At least 22 people were killed in a deliberate attack in Balochistan, southwest Pakistan, after armed militants forced them out of their vehicles and checked their identities, officials reported.
The assault occurred overnight on a highway in the Musa Khel district, a region plagued by ongoing sectarian, ethnic, and separatist violence.
The Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), a separatist militant group, claimed responsibility for the attack, stating that it targeted military personnel traveling in civilian clothes. According to officials, the attackers checked the ID’s of passengers and reportedly singled out people from Punjab before shooting them and setting their vehicles on fire.
Local authorities confirmed that up to 40 militants were involved in the attack, which is part of a series of coordinated assaults by the BLA over the past 24 hours. These attacks also targeted government installations, including police stations and security forces’ camps across Balochistan province.
In another incident in Kalat, Balochistan, 11 people were killed, including five security personnel, while six bodies were recovered from another district. The BLA had earlier warned the public to avoid highways, claiming control over all major routes in the province and justifying the attacks as part of their ongoing struggle against what they describe as the “occupying” Pakistani military.
Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed “deep grief and condemnation” over the incident in Musa Khel. The Balochistan region, rich in natural resources yet underdeveloped, has long been a hotspot for separatist insurgency. Aiming for independence from the central government in Islamabad, the BLA and other separatist groups have increased their attacks on non-Baloch people, particularly those from Punjab and Sindh.
This latest surge in violence follows a similar incident in April, where nine passengers were killed after being forced off a bus and identified in a similar manner. The BLA has been designated as a global terrorist organization by several Western countries, including the United States and the United Kingdom.
In response to the latest attacks, Pakistani security forces launched operations in Balochistan, killing 12 insurgents. However, the situation remains tense, with the BLA continuing its campaign of violence in the region.
Balochistan has been the scene of a long-running insurgency, and while Pakistani authorities claim to have subdued the separatist movement, sporadic violence persists, undermining efforts to stabilize and develop the province.
With input from The Associated Press, CBS News and BBC
