Pakistan has announced a comprehensive military operation against separatist groups in Balochistan after a surge of deadly attacks in the region. The operation, approved by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, will target the Balochistan Liberation Army and other outlawed groups, but details remain undisclosed. China has shown interest in cooperating with Pakistan on counterterrorism exercises, while Iran has been conducting military operations against separatist fighters in its own border province.
The government blames the separatist groups for targeting civilians and disrupting economic progress, with the BLA claiming responsibility for a recent suicide bombing in Quetta. Resource-rich Balochistan has faced armed rebellions from groups accusing the government of exploiting its resources without benefit to residents. The province borders both Afghanistan and Iran, with the latter joining in military operations against separatist fighters.
In a separate incident, 12 soldiers were killed in an attack on a military base in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, with the Pakistani Taliban claiming responsibility. Another attack in the same province left eight more dead, claimed by the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan. Meanwhile, Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps reported killing three separatists and arresting 11 in Sistan and Baluchestan. Last month, the Pakistani military conducted air strikes on Iranian separatist group Jaish al-Adl at Iran’s request. The situation remains tense in both Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, with ongoing military operations against separatist fighters.
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