Quetta, Jan 19 (NationPress) The Balochistan Liberation Front (BLF) has asserted that the Pakistani military has suffered significant casualties following a major, synchronized offensive in Kharan on January 15 at approximately 2:30 pm (local time). Reports indicate that the group successfully took command of the city, captured the police station, and targeted banks and government facilities.

The BLF claims that more than 50 military personnel lost their lives, while many others were injured during what they describe as a nine-hour skirmish. Among those reportedly injured are Wing Commander Colonel Wadhan and Major Asim, as reported by The Balochistan Post.

The militant group announced that their fighters initially aimed for and overtook the Kharan City Police Station, taking hostages, seizing government armaments, liberating detainees, and causing damage to the facility, documents, and police vehicles.

Another faction of the group moved into Kharan’s main bazaar, launching attacks on Meezan Bank, Al Habib Bank, National Bank, and other governmental offices. The BLF noted that a bank security guard was killed in the course of the operation, and two individuals connected to a local “death squad” sustained injuries.

The BLF further claimed that 15 soldiers perished and military vehicles were incapacitated when their subsidiary unit, the Qurban Unit, entered the main bazaar, established a checkpoint in the Red Zone, and targeted a military convoy of three vehicles. The BLF asserted that weapons were confiscated from the deceased.

According to the BLF's statement, skirmishes in the Red Zone persisted for around three hours as the military attempted to encircle the fighters utilizing armored vehicles and infantry. The BLF reported that 27 soldiers were killed, two armored vehicles were destroyed, and the remaining military forces retreated.

It was also mentioned that a separate military convoy, which included an SSG commando battalion, was targeted in the Kulan region. The BLF claims that three additional military vehicles were destroyed and numerous soldiers, inclusive of eight SSG commandos, lost their lives. The group also claimed to have downed eight quadcopter drones during the conflict.

In a statement, the BLF indicated that four of its fighters were killed during the operation and subsequent drone strikes, mentioning that three of the four deceased fighters have been recovered and buried, as reported by The Balochistan Post.

This account from the BLF contradicts the narrative provided by Pakistan's military media division, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), which stated that approximately 15 to 20 attackers executed the assault, and that 12 were killed during clearance operations while Pakistani forces managed to repel the attackers.