Pakistani security forces and army-backed paramilitary elements, including so-called 'death squads' reportedly outsourced by the Pakistan Army and its intelligence agencies, suffered casualties in a series of armed attacks across Balochistan province on 29 October 2026, according to local media reports. The attacks struck the districts of Basima, Panjgur, and Turbat, compounding a week of sustained militant violence in the restive southwestern province.

Key Incidents on Thursday

According to reports citing local sources, armed men ambushed a Pakistani forces convoy near the Sajid area of Basima, inflicting casualties and severely damaging two vehicles. The engagement reportedly lasted over two hours before military helicopters were deployed to reinforce the besieged column.

Separately, a convoy of Pakistani forces was targeted in the Gwargo area of Panjgur on Wednesday as three military vehicles were passing through. Authorities have not confirmed casualty figures from that attack. Additionally, gunmen reportedly opened fire on members of a Pakistani army-backed 'Death Squad' in the Noduz area of Turbat early Thursday morning. Sustained gunfire was heard in the area for an extended period; no official casualty figures have been released.

BLF Claims 80-Plus Killed in Earlier 'Operation Almas'

The fresh attacks follow a significant claim made earlier this week by the Balochistan Liberation Front (BLF), which asserted responsibility for killing over 80 Pakistani military and intelligence personnel in a sustained assault on a Frontier Works Organisation (FWO) camp and other installations in Gwadar district.

BLF spokesperson Major Gwahram Baloch said in a statement that those killed during 'Operation Almas' included a Military Intelligence (MI) captain, officers from the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), and personnel from the Special Services Group (SSG), with dozens more reportedly sustaining serious injuries.

According to Gwahram Baloch, the operation was launched on 22 October with a vehicle-borne suicide attack at the FWO camp entrance. He said the explosion breached the main gate and nearby defensive positions, enabling fighters to enter the compound. Inside, the group claimed to have stormed an ISI office, killing an officer and five personnel, while a separate engagement at a Military Intelligence office left six personnel dead — including the MI captain.

The statement further claimed that fighters seized a multi-storey residential barracks, where 21 personnel were killed in close-quarters combat. Pakistani forces reportedly launched nine counterattacks overnight, supported by mortar and artillery fire, before mounting a larger morning offensive with armoured vehicles — an assault the BLF claimed to have repelled, killing around 13 more personnel and destroying two armoured vehicles.

The BLF additionally claimed its fighters shot down four quadcopters and two surveillance drones during the operation, and that a sniper team killed six Pakistani military personnel across the course of the engagement. Pakistani authorities have not publicly confirmed or denied these figures.

BLF's Stated Grievances and Future Targets

Gwahram Baloch described the FWO and similar institutions as 'the commercial and military arms of this occupying army, used to loot our resources, guard international exploitative companies and change our demography.' He stated that the organisation was 'not against any outside power or country' but opposed Pakistan's control over Balochistan and what it characterised as exploitation of the region's coastline and natural resources.

The spokesperson explicitly warned that the group would continue targeting the China–Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), the Reko Diq mining project, the Saindak copper-gold project, and other development ventures in Balochistan. He cautioned that foreign entities operating in the province without the consent of the Baloch people would bear responsibility for any losses.

Broader Context

Balochistan has witnessed a sustained insurgency for decades, with multiple armed groups demanding independence or greater autonomy, citing perceived economic marginalisation and resource extraction. Pakistani authorities have consistently described the insurgency as a law-and-order challenge backed by hostile foreign elements — a characterisation the BLF and allied groups reject. The targeting of CPEC infrastructure, which runs through the province, has become an increasingly prominent element of militant strategy, raising concerns among Chinese investors and Pakistani planners alike. Notably, attacks of this scale and coordination represent a significant escalation in operational tempo for the BLF.