10 Security Personnel Killed In Balochistan Attacks, Says Pakistan

Some outlets said the shutdown was ordered by provincial authorities.

At the same time, the Balochistan health department declared an emergency at government hospitals to treat the wounded.

Balochistan’s health minister, Bakht Muhammad Kakar, instructed health officials and hospitals on Saturday to ensure immediate medical care for those injured in the shootings and to closely monitor treatment. Operating theatres in Quetta health facilities were placed on high alert and additional doctors deployed, officials said.

The Baloch Liberation Army earlier announced what it described as the second phase of its attacks, referred to as “Operation Hero”. Its spokesperson, Jeeyand Baloch, said the campaign represented what he called firm resistance against the state and its military structures.

Media reports said the attacks left dozens dead and wounded, though officials have not released casualty figures.

The Express Tribune reported that 37 Baloch Liberation Army fighters were killed and that at least 10 security personnel also died. The figures could not be independently verified.

The assaults on checkpoints, military vehicles and government facilities began around midnight and were continuing, according to reports. The attacks were described as among the group’s largest operations in Pakistan in recent years.

Shahid Rind, media aide to the Balochistan chief minister, said early Saturday that security forces had foiled attacks in several areas. He added that more than 70 militants had been killed in security operations over the past two days, and that further attacks followed those operations in multiple locations.

Murtaza Solangi shared the comment on his X account on Friday, alongside an Afghanistan International special report, without further explanation.

The report said 6,660 people have been killed in Afghanistan over nearly four years under Taliban rule. It said Ismaili citizens had been systematically targeted in northern Afghanistan, particularly in Badakhshan, since the Taliban returned to power. Taliban authorities have classified most of the cases as criminal incidents.

According to the report, which cited documents from the Taliban-controlled statistics authority, criminal offences have risen by about 60 percent under Taliban rule compared with the previous government, despite Taliban claims of nationwide security.

The data also indicate that theft has doubled in Afghanistan during the Taliban’s period in power, marking a 100 percent increase, the report said.

In a post on X, Kallas said repression “could not go unanswered” and described the decision by EU foreign ministers as a “decisive action” to place the Revolutionary Guard on the bloc’s terrorist list.

She added: “Any regime that kills thousands of its own people is working toward its own demise.”

The move marks a significant escalation in the EU’s response to Tehran’s human rights record and the role of the Revolutionary Guard, a powerful military and security force that has been accused of involvement in domestic repression and regional conflicts.

The designation will allow EU member states to impose tighter sanctions and expand cooperation on counter-terrorism measures, although it could also complicate diplomatic and economic relations with Iran.

Iran’s government has not yet issued an official response to the announcement.

Spokesperson Esmail Baghaei said at a news conference that Iran remained confident in its defence capabilities. He described what he called a comprehensive hybrid war against Iran and said threats from Israel and the United States had continued on a near-daily basis in recent months. Regional countries, he added, understand that insecurity is “contagious” and would not be confined to Iran.

Baghaei also addressed the reported deployment of US warships to the region, saying such moves would not weaken Iran’s determination to defend itself.

Earlier, Israel’s Channel 13 reported that the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln had arrived in the Middle East on Sunday evening and was positioned near Iran. The report said a vessel carrying specialised missile defence systems was also heading towards Israel.

In other remarks, Baghaei referred to defence agreements with China and Russia, saying cooperation and contacts with both countries would continue strongly.

The department called the move an important step in countering Iran-backed militancy.

In a post on X, the State Department’s Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs said the Quds Force, the IRGC’s external operations arm, has fuelled violence across the Middle East and beyond, while also repressing its own population at home.

The bureau praised the decision by Argentina under President Javier Milei, saying the designation strengthens international efforts to counter terrorism linked to Iran and to support the Iranian people.

Argentina announced the move after Milei signed a decree formally designating the IRGC’s Quds Force and 13 individuals associated with its external operations as terrorists.

Iran has not yet responded publicly to the announcement.