Over 250 people have been killed in a series of coordinated attacks launched by separatists in Pakistan's Balochistan province since Saturday and during counter-terrorism operations initiated by security forces to counter the attackers. A security official announced this today.
Pakistan has been fighting a separatist insurgency in Balochistan for decades, with frequent armed attacks against military and law enforcement forces, as well as against foreign and non-resident Pakistani citizens in the mineral-rich province located on the border with Afghanistan and Iran.
A senior official told AFP that "197 terrorists have been killed in ongoing operations" and that at least 36 civilians and 22 security personnel have been killed in coordinated attacks launched by militants in the province.
Sporadic clashes are still ongoing in some districts, after militants stormed banks, prisons, police stations, and military installations over the weekend. The Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), the most active militant separatist group in the province, claimed responsibility for the attacks in a statement sent to AFP.
