The Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), which took responsibility for the large-scale, coordinated attacks across cities and towns in Pakistan's province, has released the images of two of their attackers. Both of them are women, with one identified as 24-year-old Asifa Mengal. The deadly attack killed nearly 50 people, including at least 17 security personnel. In response, Pakistani security forces launched a 40-hour battle to take down more than 140 militants so far, Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti said on Sunday.
Pakistan's Defence Minister Khawaja Asif said that two of the attacks involved female perpetrators.
The banned BLA said Mengal was the daughter of one Mohammad Ismail and a resident of Nushki in Balochistan. She was born on October 2, 2002 and joined the BLA's Majeed Brigade on her 21st birthday. Mengal decided to be a 'fidayee' (suicide attacker) in January 2024 and was the one to have targeted the ISI headquarters in Nushki on Saturday, the BLA statement added.
Meanwhile, the name of the other woman attacker is not known yet. A video that has surfaced shows her before carrying out the attack, in which she is seen mocking the Pakistani government with her fellow male BLA colleagues. "They (the Pakistan government) only show their power over our oppressed mothers and sisters; they can't confront us directly. It's beyond their capacity," she is heard in the video, as she smiles widely while holding a massive gun.
"We just need to awaken ourselves; the Baloch nation needs to awaken. We must stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the Baloch Sarmachars. The enemy's days are numbered; they don't have much strength. The Baloch nation must understand that there can be absolutely no compromise with this enemy. Look, today our fighters are sacrificing their lives, blowing themselves to pieces, yet some still spy on them for a few pennies," the woman attacker says in the video in Balochi.
This has been one of the deadliest flare-ups in years in the Pakistan province, which borders Afghanistan and Iran. Pakistan's Junior Minister Talal Chaudhry said that attackers dressed as civilians entered schools, banks, markets and hospitals before opening fire.
The attacks started on Friday night and continued till Saturday. Balochistan government spokesperson Shahid Rind said attacks were reported from multiple regions, including Nushki, Hub, Chaman, Naseerabad, Gwadar, and Makran. Balochistan CM said that the authorities had intel of an operation of this kind being planned, which is why they were able to counter-attack.
The BLA said on Saturday it had launched the second phase of their operation dubbed 'Herof' (black storm), targeting security forces across Balochistan. The Pakistani Military said security forces had repelled attempts by militants to seize control of any city or strategic installation.
The province, which is Pakistan's largest and poorest, has faced decades-long insurgency as Baloch separatist groups seek independence and a larger share of its natural resources.
