Baloch Rebels Escalate Attacks, Raise Independence Flags in Balochistan

 As Pakistan grapples with escalating tensions on its eastern border with India, Baloch separatist groups have seized the moment to intensify their campaign for independence in the western province of Balochistan. On Thursday, the provincial capital, Quetta, was rocked by six coordinated attacks on Pakistani security forces, with Baloch rebels replacing Pakistani flags with symbols of their aspired sovereign state. The rebels are now openly advocating for international recognition, including a diplomatic mission in New Delhi.

The surge in violence, led by groups such as the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), comes as Pakistan’s military is preoccupied with its response to India’s Operation Sindoor, launched to counter terror activities. Balochistan, Pakistan’s largest yet least populated province, rich in mineral resources, has long been a focal point of ethnic Baloch grievances over economic marginalization, resource exploitation, and human rights abuses. The current wave of attacks marks one of the most significant escalations in the decades-long struggle for self-determination.

On Thursday, the BLA executed multiple strikes across Balochistan, targeting Pakistani military assets in Kech, Mastung, and Kachi districts. In Quetta, four separate assaults, including a hand grenade attack on a military camp in Sibbi and a confrontation in the Faizabad area, underscored the rebels’ growing audacity. Radio Zrumbesh English reported explosions and heavy gunfire in the provincial capital. Additional attacks included a remote-controlled IED strike in Dashtuk, Kech, which killed a Pakistani soldier, and an assault on an army outpost in Katgan, Kech, resulting in further casualties, according to BLA spokesperson Jeeyand Baloch.

The rebels also targeted critical infrastructure, with IED attacks on gas pipelines and military supply vehicles in Zamuran’s Sah Dem area and strikes on Pakistan Petroleum Limited’s gas fields in Dera Bugti. Social media platforms have been flooded with images and videos of Baloch flags raised in place of Pakistani ones, accompanied by calls for global recognition of Balochistan as an independent nation. Baloch writer Mir Yar Baloch, in a post on X, declared, “Time for the world to pull back their diplomatic missions from Pakistan and shift them into the newly emerging country of Balochistan.”

The unrest has exposed fissures in Pakistan’s control over the province. Former Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi recently warned that the federal government and military are losing authority in Balochistan, noting that senior officials require heavy security to move within the region. Abbasi challenged Army Chief Asim Munir’s claim that the rebellion is driven by a mere 1,500 individuals, describing the situation as a broader erosion of state power. His remarks, made on May 5, were followed by BLA attacks on May 6 that killed 14 Pakistani soldiers in Bolan and Kech, as reported by ANI.

The Baloch resistance is not solely armed. Figures like Mahrang Baloch lead a peaceful movement against enforced disappearances, though she is currently imprisoned. Meanwhile, some Baloch women have joined the armed struggle, with reports of suicide bombings targeting Pakistani and Chinese interests, particularly those linked to the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), part of China’s Belt and Road Initiative.

Pakistan’s military has responded with heavy-handed measures, including extrajudicial killings and disappearances, further fueling local resentment. The South Asia Terrorism Portal reports a 40% increase in security force casualties in Balochistan in 2024 compared to 2023, with 383 deaths. Islamabad has frequently attributed the unrest to external interference, particularly by India, a claim that overlooks the homegrown nature of the Baloch movement.

With Pakistan distracted by its eastern conflict, Baloch rebels are capitalizing on the state’s vulnerabilities, intensifying their campaign and amplifying calls for independence. The developments signal a critical juncture in Balochistan’s long-standing quest for sovereignty.