29 soldiers killed in BLA attack, Is Pakistan Army losing war against militants in Balochistan?

By carrying out IED attacks targeting Pakistani military convoys in Kalat, Jhau, and Quetta, the Balochistan Liberation Army has once again proved that they are winning the war, at least, the war of perception in the restive province of Balochistan. In the coordinated and well-planned attacks, at least soldiers were killed, dozens of others were left wounded. These incidents have occurred days after the BLA killed 9 people from Punjab in Sindh province. Besides, an simultaneous attacks, the Balochistan Liberation Front targeted Pakistan Army posts, convoys and troops at many place. 

BLF attacks Pakistan Army

Though the Pakistani Army has acknowledged "encounters with militants" and confirmed casualties, it has rejected the claim and disputed the high death tolls. The separatist outfit of the Balochistan Liberation Front has claimed in a statement that its fighters have carried out two separate attacks on Pakistani forces. It said the first attack was carried out on July 15, when a remote-controlled improvised explosive device (IED) exploded targeting a military vehicle on the Quetta-Karachi highway in the Khazinai area of Kalat. In the second militant attack carried out in the Gujro Kaur area of Jhau, Awaran district on July 16.

Pakistan Army's major killed

The BLF said that after receiving the intelligence output, its operatives ambushed Pakistani troops who were allegedly pursuing a seized ration vehicle. The outfit also said that six personnel, including Major Syed Rab Nawaz Tariq from Muzaffarabad, were killed in the second attack.  

 BLA kills 27 Pakistan Army personnel

On the other hand, the BLA separately carried out two high-impact attacks on July 16. The militant outfit said that its Fateh Squad ambushed a military bus carrying personnel from Karachi to Quetta. It also claimed that 27 Pakistan Army personnel were killed in the attack carried out at Nimrag Cross in Kalat. It swung into action after receiving the inputs from its intelligence unit, ZIRAB.

Where is Balochistan?

Situated in the southwestern region of Pakistan, Balochistan is the largest province of the South Asian country by land area. Bordered by the Pakistani provinces of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to the north-east, Punjab to the east, and Sindh to the south-east, it shares international borders with Iran to the west and Afghanistan to the north. The rugged mountainous area is also bound by the Arabian Sea to the south, with a large deep-sea port, the Port of Gwadar.