Web Desk: Security forces killed two suspected members of the Baloch Liberation Army after they allegedly set fire to an empty water tanker in Nokcha and attempted to flee, security sources said on Saturday.
According to the sources, the two men torched the tanker before leaving the area. Security personnel responded quickly and launched a pursuit, which later developed into an armed confrontation.
Both men were killed during the exchange, the sources said.
Security sources identified the two dead men as members of the BLA and alleged that they had previously been involved in attacks involving arson along the N-40 Quetta-Taftan Highway.
The latest incident comes less than a month after a major security operation in the same area.
On Aug. 31, security forces killed 11 terrorists in Nokcha after an attempt to establish an illegal checkpoint on the N-40 highway, according to the military’s media wing. Weapons, ammunition and explosives were also recovered, the military said.
Security sources said authorities were examining whether the latest incident was connected to previous attacks and arson attempts reported along the highway.
They added that security measures had been strengthened in and around Nokcha following the latest clash.
Further investigations are underway to establish the identities and previous activities of the two men, as well as any links between the latest incident and earlier acts of sabotage in the area.
The N-40 is a key highway linking Quetta with Taftan and areas near Pakistan’s border with Iran, making security along the route important for civilian and commercial traffic.
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