Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) militants, led by the Fateh Squad, launched a major attack in Mangochar, Kalat district, Balochistan, vandalising government buildings and blocking the Quetta-Karachi Highway.
Security sources said the BLA blocked traffic and searched vehicles, including passenger buses. Armed militants stormed Mangochar market and set fire to several government buildings.
The offices of NADRA, the Judicial Complex, and the National Bank of Pakistan were destroyed. The attackers fled before security forces arrived.
The BLA claimed responsibility. The group called the attack part of its ‘struggle for liberation’.
Security forces launched an operation in the area. Officials said they have restored traffic on the National Highway (N-25).
Soon after, BLA militants carried out another attack nearby. They intercepted a police van transporting prisoners from Gadani jail to Quetta.
Sources said the militants freed at least 10 prisoners. They released the van driver and kept the vehicle.
The militants blocked the road again to stop the van. Police confirmed the incident.
They said five armed police officers were kidnapped. Two plainclothes policemen remained unharmed.
Political analyst Kamtan Yousaf said the attackers appeared to be searching for the prison van.
“They blocked the highway and checked every vehicle. When they didn’t find the van, they moved into Mangochar and torched buildings,” he said.
Yousaf said the attack exposes serious gaps in Balochistan’s security. He warned that militant groups like the Baloch Liberation Army receive widespread local support.
“These groups know prisoner routes and police presence. They plan and execute targeted strikes,” he added.
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