Quetta, April 14 At least 12 civilians, including women and children, were killed and three others severely injured in Balochistan’s Barkhan district during Pakistani military bombardment and shelling in the area, local media reported on Tuesday, citing sources.
Reports suggest that unidentified armed men earlier launched an attack on Pakistani forces, killing 12 security personnel.
Following the attack, Pakistani forces reportedly carried out a large-scale operation in the civilian areas, resulting in multiple casualties.
Citing local sources, Balochistan reported that bodies of several individuals inside a vehicle were set ablaze during the operation, though the claim could not be independently verified.
Criticising Pakistani military actions, Tara Chand, President of Baloch American Congress, took to his social media platform, X and posted: “We strongly condemn this act and believe that any army involved in harming innocent civilians should be deeply ashamed of such actions.”
Last week, one young man was killed, and several women were injured in a drone strike carried out by Pakistani forces in the Mastung district of Balochistan, local media reported.
Citing reports, The Balochistan Post stated that Pakistani forces targeted a house in the Kurdgap area of Mastung with a drone, fatally injuring Abdul Samad, while women in the house were also wounded.
Abdul was transferred to Quetta for medical treatment when he succumbed to his injuries on the way.
Additionally, the women injured in the attack were shifted to Quetta for further medical care, following initial treatment at a local hospital.
In recent days, several Pakistani forces and Special Service Groups personnel were reportedly killed in attacks by Baloch armed groups in the area, prompting the forces to launch a large-scale operation.
Reports suggest that this is not the first time that civilians were impacted by drone attacks by Pakistani forces in Balochistan, and underscores a recurring concern.
Several human rights organisations, including the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, as well as Baloch political parties, have voiced grave concern over the targeting of civilians in these attacks, calling on the government to act immediately to prevent further incidents in Balochistan.
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