QUETTA -UNS: Interim Balochistan Information Minister Jan Achakzai on Tuesday said that five militants had been “neutralised” after security forces thwarted three terror attacks in the province’s Mach town last night.
Security forces had thwarted three “coordinated attacks” launched by terrorists using rockets and sophisticated weapons in Mach town on Monday night, some 70km from the provincial capital, officials said.
While Achakzai had initially attributed the attack to terrorists affiliated with the Aslam Acho group, responsibility was later claimed by the Majeed Brigade of the proscribed Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA).
Security forces immediately responded to the attack and took up positions. The gun battle between terrorists and security forces had continued for several hours.
In a post on social media platform X today, Achakzai said, “Updated missing persons list.”
It should be noted that the minister has previously stated that missing persons are “BLA terrorists”.
“We commend the swift action taken by the Pakistan Army and Frontier Constabulary Balochistan in thwarting a terrorist attack in Mach, Balochistan,” he said.
“Five BLA terrorists have been neutralised, ensuring the safety of our citizens,” he said, appreciating the “courage and dedication” of the armed forces.
In a separate post, he also shared a picture of one of the dead militants.
“After the clearance operation in Mach, Balochistan, a dead body of a terrorist recovered. There are many more. So far reports, five terrorists were neutralised,” he said.
Railway, police stations, central jail targeted
According to the police, at least 15 rockets were fired from nearby mountains, which landed and exploded in different areas of Mach town on Monday night.
After firing rockets, terrorists attacked a camp of the security forces near the central jail and also entered the Mach railway station. There were reports that a railway policeman was martyred in the attack, while a truck driver injured.
However, no casualty was officially confirmed.
Soon after the attack, Mach town was plunged into darkness and traffic on the Quetta-Sibi Highway was suspended.
Last night, Achakzai said no damage was reported to any installations, nor were there any casualties among the security forces.
Achakzai’s remarks came after, according to sources, rockets landed and exploded near a camp of the security forces close to the Central Jail Mach, the prison’s residential area and other places in town.
Balochistan Inspector General Prisons Shuja Kasi had confirmed that rockets hit the walls of the residential colony of the Mach jail.
“Mortar shells and rockets exploded close to the walls of the colony,” he had said, adding that no report of any casualty was received so far.
The jail superintendent had refuted social media reports that the gate and walls of the prison had been damaged. “Mach Jail and prisoners are completely safe and no rocket hit jail walls or premises,” he said.
The officer said that at present 800 prisoners were kept in Mach Jail, which included some death-row prisoners.
Sources said that armed men also attacked a police station in the Gokrt area. However, levies and security forces immediately responded and thwarted it. A truck driver, Abdul Malik Shahwani was brought to the district hospital Dhadar with bullet injuries.
