In a morale boost to its cadres, the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) issued a statement detailing its massive, coordinated suicide attack on the fortified compound of ISIS-K commander Shafiq Mengal in the Pakistani city of Khuzdar last week, claiming to have killed 34 activists, including Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorists alongside the Islamic State.In the statement, which was characterized by its confident tone, the insurgent group claimed responsibility for the operation – which included car bombs and a team of suicide bombers – and described it as the official start of a broader attack called “Operation Murj Ghadaran.”The attack occurred during a gathering at the complex that included Pakistani intelligence officials, activists from international militant networks, including ISIS and Lashkar-e-Taiba, and former Afghan soldiers, who were said to be meeting to coordinate efforts against the Baloch political movement, the Balochistan Liberation Army revealed in its statement.
This has once again exposed the closeness between ISI factions and the Islamic State which is being used to suppress the Baloch freedom struggle.Falsely accusing India of responsibility for the incident, Munjal, who survived the attack, said 17 of his companions, who were having a meal, were killed in an explosion. He added that the attackers later engaged in an armed clash with those inside the complex. The attack was carried out by the People’s Liberation Army’s Specialized Sacrifice Wing, Major General Majeed.
The operation allegedly began after weeks of strict surveillance by the intelligence wing of the Balochistan Zirab Liberation Army, which followed a high-level meeting.The Balochistan Liberation Army confirmed that the 34 people killed in the exchange of fire were core members of Mengal’s private network, and accused them of direct involvement in targeted killings, kidnappings and forced disappearances of Baloch political activists and students.