Pakistan military says insurgents killed 18 abducted policemen and 11 soldiers in separate attacks

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Chaudhry said the 18 officers had been held captive since late Monday, when dozens of militants attacked a police post in Ziarat district in Balochistan province, killing nine other police officers. He said the attackers belonged to what the government calls “Fitna al-Khawarij,” a term it uses for the outlawed Balochistan Liberation Army, or BLA, which Pakistan alleges is backed by India. India denies supporting insurgent groups in Pakistan.

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Chaudhry said insurgents have targeted civilians and security forces in several areas since Monday.

The 11 soldiers killed Wednesday died when insurgents ambushed their vehicle on a highway in Balochistan, he said.

His remarks came days after the BLA claimed responsibility for a wave of attacks on security forces in Balochistan, where the Pakistani Taliban, known as Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan, also maintain a strong presence.

Balochistan, Pakistan’s largest but least populous province, has long been the scene of a separatist insurgency as well as attacks by the Pakistani Taliban. The BLA, which the United States designated a foreign terrorist organization in 2019, has claimed responsibility for numerous attacks targeting security forces and civilians in the province in recent years.

The Associated Press