Seven Soldiers Dead in Balochistan IED Attack Amid Rising Violence

On Tuesday, seven soldiers from the Pakistan army lost their lives when their vehicle hit a homemade bomb in Balochistan, a troubled area in southwestern Pakistan. This tragic incident comes just over a month after a group of separatists took control of a passenger train, holding hundreds of people hostage and killing off-duty security guards during a dramatic three-day standoff.

Recently, another separatist group attacked a prison van in Balochistan and took five police officers as hostages. According to a police source, around 30 to 40 armed militants blocked a main highway and stopped the prison transport that was escorted by police. While the prisoners were rescued, the five officers were kidnapped. A rescue operation is actively working to free them.

The attackers also burned down several government buildings and a bank nearby. A government official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said that two militants were shot and killed by security forces during the attack.

Balochistan, a province rich in minerals and located near Afghanistan and Iran, has faced an ongoing separatist insurgency. Militants there often target government workers, foreign visitors, and settlers from other areas. The Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), the most active separatist group, has taken responsibility for the recent attacks in Kalat district. The BLA has previously attacked projects and infrastructure, especially those involving foreign investment, particularly from China.