The Baloch Liberation Army has claimed responsibility for a major attack on a Pakistani military convoy in Mastung district, stating that 13 soldiers were killed and at least 10 injured.

According to spokesperson Jeeyand Baloch, the group’s fighters destroyed an armoured vehicle with an improvised explosive device in Khadkocha on the night of 22 August, before ambushing another armoured vehicle and accompanying vehicles.

The BLA said its Special Tactical Operations Squad carried out the operation.

Local sources confirmed that one armoured vehicle was destroyed in the explosion and another damaged. They added that armed fighters subsequently ambushed the convoy, causing further damage to another military vehicle.

Regional sources reported that the bodies of two soldiers and eight injured personnel were taken to Nawab Ghaus Bakhsh Raisani Memorial Hospital in Mastung, while other injured personnel were airlifted to the Combined Military Hospital in Quetta. Pakistani authorities have not released official casualty figures.

Following the attack, the Balochistan Home Department imposed an indefinite curfew in Khadkocha and surrounding areas from 7 AM on 23 August. Residents were ordered to remain indoors, with movement on roads and in markets suspended. Officials said the measure was necessary due to security concerns and ongoing operations in the area.

The BLA also claimed responsibility for a separate attack in Hairabad, Turbat, on 23 August, stating that three soldiers were killed and three injured.

Officials confirmed that an FC road search team was attacked but reported only three injuries. They said six armed men on motorcycles threw a grenade and opened fire before fleeing when FC personnel returned fire.

The BLA further claimed eight other operations in Noshki, Kalat, Kharan, Washuk, Zehri and Chagai, promising more details in its weekly statement. Local sources emphasised that Khadkocha has become a persistent challenge for security forces, recalling a major attack in the same area on 17 July when a convoy of more than 18 buses and security vehicles travelling from Quetta towards Karachi was targeted. The BLA had claimed responsibility for that incident as well, alleging dozens of casualties.

In a separate incident on 22 August, a bridge on the N-25 national highway between Anjeeri Cross near Khadkocha was destroyed in an explosion. Authorities said unidentified individuals targeted the bridge with explosives, though no casualties were reported

Officials did not immediately provide details on the extent of the damage or its impact on traffic along the highway, which is a key route connecting Balochistan with Karachi and other regions. This was the third reported bridge attack within a week.

On 21 August, a bridge in the Zidi area of Khuzdar was destroyed in an explosion, while earlier a bridge on the Kharan–Karachi highway in the Sotagan area of Kharan was demolished using heavy machinery. No group has claimed responsibility for the bridge attacks.

The Mastung ambush highlights the growing intensity of insurgent operations in Balochistan, with the BLA continuing to target military convoys, infrastructure and security personnel.

The imposition of curfews and repeated attacks on strategic road links underscore the deteriorating security environment in the province, where insurgent groups are increasingly challenging state authority.

Agencies