At least one young man died, and multiple women were wounded in a drone attack conducted by Pakistani forces in Balochistan’s Mastung district. The strike targeted a house in the Kurdgap area, resulting in the fatal injury of Abdul Samad and injuries to women present in the house. Abdul was being taken to Quetta for medical treatment but passed away en route. The injured women were also transferred to Quetta for further medical care after initial treatment at a local hospital.
In response to recent attacks by Baloch armed groups in the region, Pakistani forces, and Special Service Groups personnel have suffered casualties, leading to a large-scale ongoing operation. This incident is not the first time civilians have been affected by drone strikes by Pakistani forces in Balochistan, raising ongoing concerns. Human rights organizations, including the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan and Baloch political parties, have expressed serious worries about civilian targeting in these attacks, urging immediate government action to prevent further incidents in Balochistan.
A week ago, a Baloch family, including a child, was killed in mortar fire by Pakistani forces in Balochistan, as reported by leading human rights organizations. The tragic event occurred in the Bungul Bazar area of Awaran district, with heavy weaponry, including mortar shelling, deployed by Pakistani security forces near civilian populations following an attack on a nearby military camp by Baloch armed groups. During this exchange, a mortar shell hit a residential house, instantly killing three family members – 60-year-old Muhammad Umar, 57-year-old Faiza, and their daughter, Mahzaib Baloch, a fifth-grade student. The Baloch Voice for Justice condemned the incident, citing potential violations of international humanitarian law, particularly the principles of distinction and proportionality that mandate the protection of civilians and civilian objects.
