People look at a charred vehicle near a collapsed railway bridge the morning after a blast by separatist militants at Kolpur in Bolan district, Balochistan province. (Image: AFP)
August 2024 was the most violent month that Balochistan has witnessed in the last six years.
August was the most violent month in Balochistan in six years as the restive Pakistan province witnessed heightened anti-government violence.
At least 92 civilians, 108 terrorists and 54 armed soldiers have died in the violence in the country in August, according to a report by the Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies (PICSS), a think tank based in Islamabad.
Balochistan province has witnessed a rise in terror attacks over the past few years, but the past month has been turbulent due to attacks on security personnel and civilians.
The PICSS report said Balochistan witnessed the highest number of fatalities among all Pakistani provinces.
Last week, a series of attacks resulted in over 70 fatalities.
The separatist Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) claimed responsibility for these attacks but another outfit, namely the United Baloch Army (UBA), is also involved in some of the attacks.
Baloch separatists accuse Pakistan of neglecting the development of the Baloch people and exploiting the resources of their region. They accuse the Pakistan Army of torture, forced disappearances and police brutality.
Reports from Baloch human rights organizations indicate that Quetta, Kech, Awaran, and Khuzdar saw the highest numbers of enforced disappearances, with 10, eight, seven, and six incidents reported, respectively.
In the latest wave of attacks, the separatists took control of police stations and major highways. They pulled passengers off buses, blew up a bridge and stormed a hotel.
It should also be noted that the attacks coincided with the death anniversary of Baloch leader Nawab Akbar Khan Bugti, a report by the Economic Times said. Bugti was killed 18 years ago in a so-called counter-insurgency operation launched during the regime of former Pakistan president Pervez Musharraf.
The PICSS report said that the recent spate of attacks also injured 150 people of which 88 were civilians.
The report attributed a majority of fatalities in Pakistan to 83 militant attacks which resulted in the deaths of 175 individuals, including 92 civilians, 47 security personnel, and 36 militants. Additionally, 123 people were injured, with 88 civilians and 35 security personnel among them.
Read More: 254 Dead In 30 Days: Wave Of Terror Sets Pakistan On Fire, Balochistan Witnesses Most