Baloch Liberation Army fighters rejected Pakistan military’s claims of killing and gaining control over its several areas. The BLA asserted it has “inflicted heavy losses on Pakistani forces and killed at least 25 personnel”. The BLA claimed that they destroyed two armoured tanks in Kalat, bordering Afghanistan.
The Pakistan Armed Forces claimed to have killed 23 BLA fighters on January 31 in the Kalat area and taken control of several BLA areas.
In a detailed statement, BLA spokesperson Azad Baloch termed the claims by Pakistan’s Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) as “fabricated,” asserting that no BLA fighter was killed in the attack and that the operation was a strategic success for the Baloch Liberation Army.
According to the BLA, over 100 of their fighters carried out a coordinated guerrilla operation in Kalat starting at 8 PM on January 31. The operation was carried out under the BLA’s “Stay, Hit, and Run” guerrilla strategy, designed to break the “enemy’s control, inflict heavy casualties, and disrupt key military installations while minimizing BLA casualties.”
The attack targeted various Pakistani military camps and strategic areas in Kalat, including Manguchar, Khazeena, Johan, Shekhari, and Kuhak. The BLA described how their fighters successfully seized control of Manguchar, including the Manguchar Bazaar, all entry and exit routes, and parts of the Manguchar military camp. The BLA claimed to have inflicted heavy losses on Pakistani forces, killing at least 25 personnel, destroying two armoured tanks, and severely damaging military infrastructure.
Fierce clashes within the camp reportedly resulted in the death of five enemy soldiers. The BLA fighters also engaged in continuous attacks from four directions, keeping the military base under siege until dawn. As the operation unfolded, the BLA maintained control over key roads and checkpoints in Kalat, including those in Manguchar Bazaar and major highways.
At one checkpoint in Khazeena Soro, BLA fighters engaged in a firefight with a van carrying 18 Frontier Corps (FC) personnel, killing all 18 and seizing their weapons. Near the Manguchar camp, a passenger bus was stopped, and upon verifying the identities of two individuals, one was identified as a Pakistani military officer, and the other as an intelligence operative. Both were executed on the spot, the BLA reported.