In a significant escalation of violence, four Baloch fighters were killed in a fierce clash with a ‘state-backed’ armed group in Barkhan district, Balochistan, on Friday. The confrontation occurred in the Koh-e-Jandar area of Rakni tehsil, with residents reporting heavy weapons being used during the hours-long gunfight. The deceased have been identified as Mustafa Noor, Samiullah, Rasaan Qadir, and Shahzaib, and their bodies were taken to a hospital in Rakni. The opposing group has been labeled as a ‘state-backed death squad,’ a term used by locals to describe pro-government militias. Pakistani authorities have not yet commented on the incident.
Furthermore, heavy fighting was reported in the Spilinji area of Mastung district during a military operation by Pakistani forces. Large troop deployments entered the mountainous region late Thursday night, resulting in intense gunfire and explosions. While casualties were reported, the exact number of dead or wounded remains unclear. No Baloch armed group has claimed responsibility for the clashes in Spilinji. These recent events highlight the ongoing volatile situation in Balochistan, where tensions between nationalist groups and state forces persist.