In Graphics | What is Balochistan Liberation Army’s Operation Herof?

The restive province of Balochistan witnessed a massive surge of violence over the weekend.

This comes after fighters from the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) launched attacks on security installations, police posts, banks and transport infrastructure in places including Quetta, Mastung and Gwadar.

The BLA says that the offensive, dubbed Operation Herof (Black Storm) Phase II, was launched across several districts of the province. The BLA has claimed that it has killed over 200 personnel from the Pakistan Army, police and Frontier Corps, and captured over a dozen individuals.

However, the Pakistani authorities have dismissed these claims, saying 17 law enforcement personnel and 31 civilians were killed in the attacks. Balochistan’s Chief Minister, Sarfraz Bugti, has claimed that Pakistani security forces have killed over 145 militants.

Balochistan, Pakistan’s largest and poorest province, has faced a decades-long insurgency led by ethnic Baloch separatists seeking greater autonomy and a larger share of its natural resources.

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Let's take a closer look at what we know about the operation and the BLA: