The Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) has hijacked the Jaffar Express in Balochistan's Bolan and held over 100 Pakistan military personnel hostage. The militant group has claimed to have killed six Pak Army personnel while they tried to resist the hijack.
The BLA has warned the Pakistan Army to refrain from conducting any operation, threatening that it would execute all the hostages if their call was not acknowledged. In its official release, the group claimed to have killed six personnel and has said that it released women, children and others with only military personnel in their custody.
The latest attack is a major action by the group seeking the liberation of Balochistan from Pakistan. The group, apart from the Baloch Liberation Front and BRAS, among others, has been largely active in Balochistan. Here are some of the major attacks that the BLA carried out against Pakistan.
- Quetta Railway Station attack, 2024: On November 9, 2024, at least 32 people, including the attackers, were killed, and 55 were injured in a suicide bombing at the Quetta Railway Station. The attack was claimed by the BLA.
- Jinnah International Airport, 2024: The Baloch liberation group claimed an attack on the airport motorway at Jinnah International Airport on October 6, 2024. In this attack, at least 10 people were injured, and two Chinese nationals were killed.
- It must be noted that BLA calls the Pakistan Army an occupying army and often targets Chinese nationals because it believes that both China and Pakistan are exploiting Baloch resources through the China-Pak Economic Corridor (CPEC).
- Chinese Engineers attack in Gwadar: On August 13, 2023, the BLA's Majeed Brigade targeted a convoy of Chinese engineers in Gwadar. The BLA claimed that it killed 4 Chinese engineers and 9 Pak soldiers.
- Turbat Pak Army convoy attack, 2023: On June 24, 2023, BLA Majeed Brigade's female suicide bomber Sumaiyya Qalandarani targeted Pak Army convoy in Turbat city of Balochistan's Kech district. Pak Army's major was killed, while 6, including Brigadier were injured.
- Karchi University 2022: The BLA's Majeed Brigade carried out a suicide bombing attack on April 26, 2022. The attack caught headlines for two reasons. Firstly, the BLA used female suicide bomber for the first time it was carried out by a female suicide bomber for the first time. The attack killed 4 people, including three Chinese nationals.
- Nushi, Panjgur attack, 2022: On February 3, 2022, the Baloch militant group issued a press release and claimed responsibility of attacks on military camps in Panjgur and Nushki, both in restive Balochistan. It claimed that it killed over 100 Pakistan Army soldiers but the army repudiated the claims.
- Karahci Stock Exchange attack, 2020: On June 29, 2020, the BLA attacked the Karachi Stock Exchange to take it hostage. However, four operatives of the BLA were killed in the attack.
