BLA's Coordinated Attack In Balochistan's Kharan: Banks Looted, Police Station Overrun

Last Updated:January 16, 2026, 09:13 IST

Security officials said Pakistan’s forces managed to foil the attack, killing at least 12 BLA fighters and arresting three key suspects linked to the assault.

According to local sources, heavily armed BLA fighters overran the Kharan City Police Station late on Tuesday night, freeing multiple detained companions before moving through parts of the town.

The remote Kharan district of Pakistan’s Balochistan province witnessed intense violence after fighters of the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) launched a coordinated assault on key state installations, triggering a massive counter-operation by Pakistan’s security forces, sources told CNN-News18. Exclusive visuals accessed by CNN-News18 show the scale of the confrontation as security forces continue clearance operations in the area.

According to local sources, heavily armed BLA fighters overran the Kharan City Police Station late on Tuesday night, freeing multiple detained companions before moving through parts of the town. In a significant escalation, the attackers allegedly looted at least three banks — the National Bank of Pakistan, Meezan Bank, and Bank Al Habib. The exact amount of cash looted remains unknown.

The BLA has claimed responsibility for the attack and alleged that five Pakistani soldiers were killed during the clashes. However, Pakistani government sources have disputed this figure, stating that two security personnel were killed and five others injured during the ongoing operation.

Security officials said that Pakistan’s forces managed to foil what they described as a “coordinated terrorist attack," killing at least 12 BLA fighters and arresting three key suspects linked to the assault. The operation, according to officials, continued late into the night on Tuesday amid intense exchanges of gunfire between separatist fighters and security personnel.

As the situation deteriorated, authorities imposed a communication blackout across Kharan and surrounding areas. Mobile phone services and other communication networks were suspended, a move typically employed during high-intensity counterterror operations in Balochistan to prevent militant coordination.

Balochistan has long been the epicentre of a low-intensity insurgency led by Baloch separatist groups, including the BLA, who accuse the Pakistani state of exploiting the province’s vast natural resources while marginalising the local population. Islamabad, meanwhile, labels the BLA a terrorist organisation and alleges it receives external support.

As clearance operations continue, authorities remain on high alert amid fears of further retaliatory strikes.

News world BLA's Coordinated Attack In Balochistan's Kharan: Banks Looted, Police Station Overrun

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