Violence Erupts in Balochistan: Armed Attacks on Police Stations and Checkpoints
Recent Attacks in Balochistan
Quetta: In a troubling escalation of violence, armed individuals attacked a police station in the Kachhi district of Balochistan, Pakistan, and launched a grenade assault on a security checkpoint in Quetta's Western Bypass area, as reported by local news outlets on Wednesday.
Officials disclosed that approximately twenty heavily armed assailants targeted the Khattan Police Station on Tuesday evening. They breached the facility, setting fire to official documents and furniture, according to a leading daily. Before fleeing, the attackers made off with two rifles, including an SMG and a G-3, along with a mobile phone and a private motorcycle.
A senior official noted, "Due to the overwhelming number of attackers, former levies personnel stationed nearby were unable to mount an effective defense." Fortunately, there were no reported casualties or injuries from this incident.
Following the attack, local police and security forces quickly arrived at the scene to conduct a joint search operation for the perpetrators. The Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) from the Sibi Range is also looking into the matter.
In a separate incident, unidentified assailants targeted a security forces checkpoint in the Western Bypass area of Quetta using hand grenades. Police reported that motorcyclists launched two grenades at the post, which detonated nearby but fortunately did not result in any injuries.
In retaliation, security personnel stationed at the checkpoint returned fire, but the attackers managed to escape after throwing the grenades. A search operation has since been initiated in the vicinity.
Earlier this week, six police officers sustained injuries when gunmen opened fire on the vehicle of the North Waziristan District Police Officer (DPO) near Mamash Khel town in Bannu district, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, as confirmed by officials.
Bannu Regional Police Officer (RPO) Sajjad Khan stated that the incident occurred on Miranshah road, which connects Bannu and North Waziristan. He added that the DPO was unharmed during the attack, while the injured officers were transported to Bannu District Headquarters Hospital.
Pakistan has seen a surge in such violent incidents over the past year, particularly in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, following the breakdown of a ceasefire between the government and the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) in 2022. Recently, there has been a notable increase in assaults on law enforcement, especially in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
On November 2, a Station House Officer (SHO) and two other police personnel were injured in an explosion caused by an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) in Hangu district, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.