Balochistan [Pakistan], December 14 : Amid the ongoing enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings in Balochistan by Pakistan armed forces, five individuals have allegedly forcibly disappeared, including three brothers, in separate raids in the Turbat and Mastung regions of Balochistan.
In Turbat's Apsar area, the three siblings Ehsan Manzoor, Afzal Manzoor, and Hamid Manzoorwere reportedly detained during a security forces raid on the night of December 10, The Balochistan Post reported.
The family reported that a significant number of forces surrounded their home and took the brothers into custody, with no information provided about their current location. They have reached out to the Commissioner of Makuran Division, the Deputy Commissioner of Kech, and human rights organizations, urging them to help secure the brothers' safe return as reported by The Balochistan Post.
In a separate incident in the Dasht area of Mastung district, Sami Kurd, the son of Dur Muhammad, and his cousin were also allegedly detained by Pakistani forces, according to The Balochistan Post report. Family sources stated that the two were taken on November 9 and have been missing since then, according to Baloch Voice for Missing Persons (VBMP) statement.
In Kalat, three brothers who were previously reported missing have been found. Reports suggest that Mahboob Ali, Irshad Ahmed, and Mureed Ahmed were forcibly taken from Killi Zakariazai Manogcher during a raid on the night of December 8.
Their family organized a two-day protest, blocking the Quetta-Karachi highway to demand their release. After receiving assurances from local authorities, the protest was ended, and the brothers were returned home shortly thereafter.
Balochistan, a resource-rich yet conflict-stricken region in southwestern Pakistan, has long been plagued by violence, abductions, and killings. The conflict is driven by the region's demand for greater autonomy and control over its valuable natural resources, such as gas, coal, and minerals.
Various separatist groups have fought for independence or increased political power, often resorting to violent tactics to achieve their goals. Abductions and killings are frequent occurrences amid the ongoing unrest in Balochistan. Activists, politicians, journalists, and ordinary civilians have been abducted by security forces.
While the Pakistani military claims to target insurgents or separatists, human rights organizations and Baloch nationalist groups have accused the military of using abductions to silence opposition. These enforced disappearances often lead to torture and extrajudicial killings.
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