Quetta: The Baloch Liberation Army has said its fighters have damaged the Pakistan army helicopter, which crashed near Quetta, in the mountain range of Sibi Balochistan on Thursday.
‘Our fighters have targeted and damaged the military helicopters with sniper rifles and other automatic weapons in Sathak Bun area of district Sibbi Balochistan which later crashed on the outskirts of Quetta,’ BLA’s spokesperson Azad Baloch informed media sources in Balochistan.
He claimed from the past many days, Pakistan army have been carrying military offensives against innocent Baloch villagers and nomads in different areas of Kahan town in Balochistan.
Azad Baloch added that Pakistan military’s ground forces backed by helicopters have conducted offensives in Kahan’s Sohrod, Shameni, Hathpod and other surrounding areas.
“Several Baloch women and children have been wounded because of indiscriminate bombardment and military offensives.
The Pakistan army during their aggressions has harassed and terrorised Baloch women and children. Women were pulled out of their houses and made to stand outside in the scorching heat for several hours to teach them a lesson in the words of Pakistani troops,” he further said.
On June 3, in a gun battle between BLA fighters and Pakistan army, seven Pakistani soldiers were killed and several others injured whereas three BLA fighters also lost their lives.
In retaliation, on June 7, the BLA fighters attacked a convoy of Pakistan military with IED, completely destroying the vehicles and killing and wounding personnel on board.
Azad Baloch said, “The army helicopter was transferring the wounded soldiers to Quetta when our fighters attacked and damaged it near Sibbi.”
The Pakistan military media wing spokesperson also confirmed the attack and told media, “The helicopter, on a medical evacuation sortie, was en-route to Quetta from Kohlu. A BLA fighter was injured and was being evacuated by the Army helicopter.”
Azad Baloch further said,” Since the ‘occupation of Balochistan’ in 1948, Pakistan Army has been trying to extract oil and other natural resources in Kohistan Marri region but due to the strong resistance of Baloch fighters the state’s [Pakistan], previous attempts failed.”
He asserted that natural resources of Balochistan are considered a national wealth for Balochs and ‘our fighters are paying the price of their lives to protect these resources from Pakistani state exploitation.’
The spokesperson of Baloch resistance group added that some local notables are collaborating with Pakistan Army and assisting Pakistani forces to exploit the natural resources.
‘We urge these people [local notables] to refrain from becoming part of Pakistan’s exploitative policies in Balochistan because such actions are not in the national interest of the Baloch nation,’ Azad Baloch further said.
(ANI)