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The series of attacks by the Balochistan Liberation Army targeting security forces and civilians in Pakistan’s Balochistan province are testimony of a significant escalation in violence in the region. The attack killed at least 38 people. This is the first time the outlawed militant group has carried out an operation of this scale and sophistication. Designated as a terrorist group by Pakistan and the United States, the BLA, which is fighting for an independent Balochistan carved out of Pakistan and territories in Iran and Afghanistan, has carried out many attacks against Pakistani security forces and civilians over the last two decades, including against Chinese nationals. But this is perhaps the first time it launched several, apparently coordinated, attacks within a few hours.
The attacks began on August 26 night and continued into the morning of August 27. In one incident that has shaken Pakistan, the attackers pulled out 23 Punjabi passengers from a civilian bus and shot them dead.
