A Pakistan Army soldier lost his life while four attackers affiliated with the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) were neutralized during an attempted infiltration into a key naval air base in the Balochistan province, according to PTI reports.
The incident unfolded at the PNS Siddique Naval Air Base in the turbulent Turbat district, where armed militants from the BLA’s Majeed Brigade launched an assault. The assailants targeted the airport perimeter from multiple directions, but swift action from security forces averted their entry into the premises, stated Makran Commissioner Saeed Ahmed Umrani.
Pakistan Army confirmed the attempted attack, revealing that Baloch militants initiated the assault on the night of March 25-26. However, a coordinated response by security forces, including mobilization of troops, led to the elimination of all four terrorists in a joint clearance operation.
Tragically, a 24-year-old Sepoy of the paramilitary Frontier Corps Balochistan made the ultimate sacrifice during the confrontation. Following the incident, the Army conducted a thorough sanitization operation to eliminate any potential remaining threats in the area.
This marks the third significant attack on security forces and installations in Balochistan claimed by the BLA this year. Previous attacks, including the assault on Mach town and the Gwadar Port Authority Complex, were successfully repulsed by security forces, underscoring ongoing challenges in the restive province.
Balochistan, bordering Iran and Afghanistan, has long been plagued by violent insurgency. Baloch separatist groups, including the BLA, have targeted security forces and infrastructure, including projects under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), alleging exploitation of the province’s resources by China and Islamabad—a claim vehemently denied by authorities.
