PNS Siddique, second-largest naval air station of Pakistan attacked
PNS Siddique, second-largest naval air station of Pakistan, was attacked on Monday. It is located in Turbat. According to The Balochistan Post, the attack on the Naval Airbase in Turbat was carried out by the Majeed Brigade of the outlawed Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA).
The Majeed Brigade charges Pakistan and China of taking advantage of the resources in the area and is critical of China’s investments in Balochistan.
According to the BLA, its fighters have penetrated the airbase. There are also reports of Chinese drones being used at this facility.
Turbat saw a sharp rise in military activity as events developed, with multiple helicopters observed conducting aerial patrols. According to reports from the ground, there were explosions and heavy gunfire for more than three hours.
Many of the main Turbat roads were blocked by the Frontier Corps, and a sizable group of the Corps’ members were reportedly moving in the direction of the naval air base.
In the attack, the BLA claimed to have killed “over a dozen” Pakistani personnel. Additionally, the BLA made public an audio clip purportedly recorded by one of its fighters during an attack on the PNS Siddique, in which the fighter stated that multiple vehicles were targeted.
Following the attack, District Health Officer Kech declared an emergency at Teaching Hospital Turbat and ordered all doctors to report for duty right away.
This was the BLA Majeed Brigade’s third attack in Turbat this year and its second of the week.
The BLA had previously attacked Mach city on January 29 and the Military Intelligence headquarters in Gwadar on March 20.
Following several explosions and gunfire at the Pakistan Gwadar Port Authority Complex during the March 20 attack in Gwadar, two Pakistani soldiers and eight terrorists were slain in the ensuing clash.
The Gwadar port, which is governed by China, is an essential part of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and has strategic significance in the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).
According to Dawn, there has been a sharp increase in terrorist activity in Pakistan, especially in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, since the government and the outlawed militant organization Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan terminated their ceasefire in November 2022.
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