Security forces successfully prevented three coordinated attacks by terrorists in the Mach area of Balochistan on Monday night, according to provincial interim information minister Jan Achakzai. The militants were affiliated with the Aslam Acho group, but no damage was done to any installations and there were no casualties among security forces.
The Mach Central Jail Superintendent confirmed that the facility was not damaged and all staff and prisoners were safe. Meanwhile, the provincial health department imposed an emergency in hospitals in Quetta and Mach after the reported attacks, with instructions issued to strengthen security and gather medical supplies.
Two injured individuals from Mach were transferred to a trauma center in Quetta, and nearby ambulances were dispatched to the area. The Balochistan Liberation Army claimed responsibility for the attack.
The incident occurred just 10 days before the February 8 general elections, in a year that has seen an increase in terror activities in Pakistan. The annual security report noted an uptick in violence-related fatalities and injuries in 2023, with KP and Balochistan being the primary centers of violence.
On January 18, retaliatory strikes were launched against targets in Iranian territory linked to Baloch separatist groups. The strikes targeted hideouts used by the BLA and Balochistan Liberation Front in an intelligence-based operation named ‘Marg Bar Sarmachar’.