Balochistan: BLA – Strategic Escalation
On February 5, 2026, Pakistan’s military media wing, Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) announced that Security Forces (SFs) had concluded Operation Radd-ul-Fitna (Elimination of Discord)-1 in Balochistan, after a series of intelligence-based operations (IBOs) targeting Baloch insurgent networks, killed 216 insurgents. According to the statement, the military began these operations on January 29, 2026, in Panjgur and near Harnai District, targeting armed groups’ hideouts and sleeper cells across the province, killing 216 militants and recovering foreign-origin weapons, explosives and equipment, amid allegations of external support. Further, it said, the campaign resulted in 36 civilian and 22 SF personnel deaths, with no independent verification.
However, the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) on February 5 rejected ISPR claims, and asserted that its own Operation Herof (Black Storm) 2.0 had entered its sixth consecutive day and remained ongoing. In a media statement, BLA ‘spokesperson’ Jeeyand Baloch dismissed the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) assertions as “another chapter of lies,” saying the operation continues with what he described as “full determination, consistency, and military success.” BLA claimed that Pakistan’s military was facing setbacks not only on the battlefield, but also in what it described as the “narrative domain.” The statement added that, while the BLA publicly releases the names and photographs of its fallen fighters, the Pakistani military conceals casualties among its personnel, burying them without disclosure. It also accused the State of killing forcibly disappeared persons and presenting them as militants to support what it called a false narrative.
Earlier, in a statement issued on February 3, BLA ‘spokesperson’ Jeeyand Baloch declared that its cadres continue to hold strong positions in Nushki city and multiple other locations, describing the situation on the ground as fluid but firmly under the group’s control. The BLA claimed that, based on what it termed preliminary and cautious assessments, around 280 SF personnel belonging to the Army, Frontier Corps (FC), Police, Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) and Army-backed armed groups. had been killed during the operation, to that date. The statement also acknowledged losses on the BLA side, saying that 35 fighters had been killed under Operation Herof. According to BLA, those killed include 18 fidayeen from the Majeed Brigade (specialised suicide squad), 10 cadres of the Fateh Squad (specialized urban warfare unit), and seven cadres from the Special Tactical Operations Squad (STOS).
Operation Radd-ul-Fitna was started on January 29 when SFs killed 30 terrorists during an intelligence based operation (IBO) on the outskirts of Harnai town in Harnai District. Further, SFs killed 11 terrorists during an IBO in Panjgur District. According to a statement issued by ISPR, weapons, ammunition and money looted in a bank robbery in Panjgur on December 15, 2025, were recovered from the possession of the slain terrorists.
In retaliation, BLA lunched Phase 2 of its Operation Herof at around 5:00 a.m. on the morning of January 31, with simultaneous attacks across multiple cities and Districts of Balochistan, including Quetta, Noshki, Mastung, Dalbandin, Kalat, Kharan, Panjgur, Gwadar, Pasni, Turbat, Tump, Mangochar, Lasbela, Kech, and other areas. While confirming the synchronized attacks, Balochistan Government spokesperson Shahid Rind said “terrorists attempted to carry out attacks at several locations in the province, which police and the FC foiled through timely action”.
Meanwhile, a BLA statement announced that the group had launched the second phase of Operation Herof (Black Storm) which it described as an effort to “defend the Baloch motherland”. BLA ‘spokesperson’ Jeeyand Baloch stated that fighters had launched coordinated attacks at 48 locations across 14 cities in Balochistan, killing 84 personnel of the Army, Police, intelligence agencies and CTD. Baloch added that 18 other personnel were “captured alive and are currently in BLA custody.” The statement claimed that BLA had “taken control of multiple enemy posts, including central military headquarters,” and that the movement of Pakistani forces had been “severely restricted.” According to the group, several units, including the Fateh Squad, the Majeed Brigade, the intelligence wing ZIRAB and STOS, were operating jointly across different Districts. It claimed more than 30 Government buildings had been targeted or set ablaze, including banks and administrative offices, and that over 23 SF vehicles had been destroyed. The group also claimed attacks along the Coastal Highway had “paralysed enemy logistics.” BLA released a video showing its ‘commander-in-chief’, Bashir Zeb Baloch standing with fighters and urging “Baloch women and men to come out of their homes” and join what he called a “decisive war.” Zeb Baloch added that the process of “expelling the Punjabi army and the Punjabi state from Balochistan has begun.”
The crux of Operation Herof was the participation of female fidayeens (suicide bombers). The BLA identified at least two female fidayeen attackers involved in this phase, Hawa Baloch alias Droshum and Asifa Mengal. Hawa Baloch was highlighted in a video released by the BLA’s media wing, Hakkal, showing her in combat gear, firing an automatic weapon against SFs during the attack on the Gwadar front. In the BLA-released video, Hawa Baloch’s final message, reportedly recorded 12 hours before her death, shows her urging the Baloch community to rise up against Pakistani forces. Asifa Mengal, BLA claimed, was involved in a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device (VBIED) attack targeting an ISI facility in Nushki town.
The most intense fighting has been reported in Noshki, where tensions have remained high since the beginning of operations. Media reports indicate that several Government and quasi-government installations were targeted, including the FC headquarters, security camps, CTD headquarters, the central jail, the Deputy Commissioner’s office, and other official facilities.
Nushki’s geostrategic importance is amplified by its proximity to major mineral projects, most notably Saindak and Reko Diq, both internationally recognized for their vast gold and copper reserves. A Chinese company currently operates the Saindak project, while a Canadian firm is active at Reko Diq, placing the region firmly within the orbit of global economic and strategic interests. These attacks are widely interpreted as a message to international mining projects and the foreign companies operating in the area, highlighting the growing security risks surrounding strategic economic assets. The operation also signals a shift in the BLA’s approach, from traditional hit-and-run guerrilla tactics to a more structured and organized military posture, marked by coordinated operations, manpower deployment, and strategic planning.
In a knee-jerk response, the Pakistani Government and Army accused India of sponsoring and orchestrating Operation Herof 2.0. Speaking at a press conference in Quetta on February 1, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi stated, “I can say with certainty that India planned [these attacks] along with these terrorists”. On February 5, 2026, Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif claimed that India had “intensified terrorism in Pakistan through its proxies,” specifically referring to the BLA.
While many media sources have reported the continuation of clashes between the Baloch insurgents and SFs at multiple locations, the Pakistan Army’s claim of the end of Operation Radd-ul-Fitna is a deception and self-declared ‘victory’ that will not stand the test of time.