Eighteen Pakistani soldiers were killed in clashes with separatist rebels in Balochistan, after troops engaged insurgents who had set up roadblocks in the volatile northwestern region.
According to UNB, officials on Saturday confirmed the death to Associated Press.
The military stated that casualties occurred during an operation against insurgents who had blocked a vital highway in Kalat, a district in Balochistan near Afghanistan.
The security forces successfully removed the barricades after overnight fighting.
The operation resulted in 18 paramilitary soldiers' deaths, and the military vowed to bring those responsible for the attack to justice. The bodies of 12 insurgents were recovered. The Baloch National Army, a separatist group, claimed responsibility for the assault.
The BLA regularly targets security forces, civilians, and foreigners, especially Chinese nationals working on major infrastructure projects in Pakistan. In November, a BLA suicide bombing at a train station in Quetta killed 26 people, including soldiers and railway workers.
Following this attack, military and police operations in Balochistan, a region rich in oil and minerals, have intensified. The province is home to the ethnic Baloch minority, who claim to suffer discrimination and exploitation by the central government. Balochistan has long been the site of an ongoing insurgency, with various separatist and militant groups waging attacks in pursuit of independence.
Bd-Pratidin English/ AM
