Balochistan clashes: BLA claims 25 soldiers killed, army says 48 militants dead

Violence in Pakistan's Balochistan province has sharply escalated, with the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) claiming it killed 25 Pakistani soldiers in two attacks, while Pakistan's military reports killing 48 militants in retaliatory operations. The BLA said its Fateh Squad ambushed a military convoy at Ziarat Cross on Friday, killing 18 personnel, and its Special Tactical Operations Squad used a remote-controlled bomb in Hajika, killing seven more. The group released footage of the attacks, though the claims could not be independently verified. Pakistan's army conducted raids across districts including Mastung, Sibi, Quetta and Kalat, targeting BLA and Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan militants. The escalation follows months of BLA attacks, including 36 operations last month, amid a long-running insurgency over accusations of political repression and demands for greater autonomy or independence.