A large-scale clash between the military and a separatist militant group in southwestern Pakistan left 125 people dead.
On the 1st (local time), according to Reuters and others, Pakistan's military authorities said that the previous day, the separatist militant group Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) carried out attacks across the southwestern Balochistan province, killing 15 security personnel and 18 civilians, while security forces killed 92 members of the militant group, including three suicide bombers.
The initial death toll from the terrorist attacks and gunfights was 88, but it rose to 125 during further tallying. A senior official with Pakistan's military authorities said, "(The BLA's attack) was organized, but its execution was lacking," and added, "Due to poor planning and an effective response by security forces, the attack failed."
Heavily armed security forces were deployed across Quetta, the capital of Balochistan province. Sarfraz Bugti, the chief minister of Balochistan, said, "We have killed more than 700 terrorists over the past year," and added, "This attack cannot weaken our resolve to fight terrorism."
The BLA's latest attack came after the Pakistan Army released on the 29th that it had killed 41 members of militant groups on the outskirts of Harnai and in Panjgur in Balochistan province. The BLA carried out simultaneous suicide bombings and gunfights across the province the previous morning, targeting military installations as well as police stations and civilian facilities.
Pakistan's military authorities claimed the BLA's latest attack was carried out with India's support. In a statement, the military said, "The leadership of terrorist organizations operating outside Pakistan planned and ordered the attack," adding, "It has been clearly confirmed that they communicated directly with the attackers throughout the operation."