The Pakistani army and para-military Frontier Corps are said to have killed at least 35 and abducted 200 Baloch civilians in the past three days [9-11 April 2016]. They have attacked and pillaged houses in various areas, killing livestock and arresting people, many of whom have now disappeared. Indiscriminate bombing has also been reported. Among the victims are a 13-year-old boy and three elderly men. Pakistani security forces and Minister Sarfaraz Bugti justified the acts by claiming that the victims were “militants”, a term used by the authorities to refer to Baloch “freedom fighters”.

Below is an article published by Balochwarna News:

Pakistan army and para-military FC [Frontier Corps] have killed at least 35 Baloch civilians and abducted around 200 people in past three days during their attacks on houses of Baloch people in different areas of Balochistan.

Sources from Balochistan reported that military have been carrying out attacks in Sibbi, Awaran, many regions of district Kalat, Dera Bugti and Panjgur Balochistan which resulted in death of dozens of innocent civilians and their livestock.

Baloch rights groups have also reported that at least 200 people have been arrested and disappeared by Pakistani forces during these indiscriminate attacks on Baloch non-combats.

According to eye-witnesses account gunship helicopter were used to target the Baloch nomads and farmers while the ground forces carried out loot and pillage of houses of the victims. The forces also set several houses on fire after stealing off precious belongings. Large number of livestock were also killed due to indiscriminate bombardment.

On April, 9, 2016, Pakistan forces brought 16 dead bodies to Civil Hospital Quetta from Sibbi and Kalat – BBC Urdu reported among these 10 dead bodies were brought from Kalat whereas other five were brought from Sibbi.

Another 10 dead bodies were brought to Civil Hospital Quetta on Saturday evening from district Kalat and Mastung.

BBC Urdu reported Pakistan forces have handed over the first 15 bodies to Edhi Centre which has buried them in Eastern Bypass. The dead bodies of the victims include of a 13-year-old boy and three aged men.

The Chairman of Voice for Baloch Missing Persons, Nasrullah Baloch, objected to the hasty burial and said that the dead bodies should have been kept in Morgue for a longer period so that their relatives from far flung area could come and identity them.

“Dead bodies recovered in Balochistan are mostly buried hastily to cover up their identity because they think if the bodies are identified it would damage the image of security forces,” Nasrulllah Baloch told BBC Urdu.

Pakistani security forces and a Pakistani minister Sarfaraz Bugti claimed that the victims were ‘militants’ a phrase coined by Pakistani officials and media to describe the Baloch freedom fighters or Baloch Sarmachaar known among Baloch people.

Bugti also claimed that the killed men include Abdul Nabi Bangulzai a key leader of an armed Baloch group.

Sarfaraz Bugti and other Pakistani officials previously also made claims of killing important Baloch pro-freedom commanders but all their claims turned out to be rumours and lies.

Baloch social media activists, rights groups, political and student organisations, however, insist that the victims were local nomads who were heading to Mastung when Pakistani forces stopped them and executed them in cold blood.

“Pakistan army, FC and ISI are covering their crimes against humanity and murder of innocent civilians in the name of battles against Baloch fighters.

“It is difficult to believe that 35 Baloch armed fighters would be killed without causing any harm to Pakistani forces,” a Baloch political activist from Mastung told Balochwarna News on condition of anonymity.

In another interview with Al Jazeera English, Nasrullah Baloch said that he fears those killed during the latest military operation were people previously taken by security services.

“In the past, the government claimed to have killed militants, but in fact they were those who were previously abducted by law enforcement agencies,” Baloch told Al Jazeera.

“In March, the government claimed to have killed 12 militants in an encounter in Sibbi area of Balochistan, wherein they all are were previously abducted unarmed civilians,” he added.

Meanwhile the central spokesperson of the Baloch Republican Party, Sher Mohammad Bugti, said in a statement that three of the victims belonged to the Bugti tribe.

He said the victims identified as Dina Bugti, Hairdeen Bugti and Roja Bugit were abducted by Pakistan 2012 and their whereabouts remain unknown ever since.

Panjgur Massacre: Seven people including a woman, her two sons and husband, Naeem Baloch, were killed when Pakistan military backed death squads stormed a house in Pull Abad area of Panjgur, Balochistan.

It is pertinent to note that Pakistan army has been arming and financing local criminal gangs, religious extremist groups and other anti-Baloch freedom elements to carry out criminal activities including murder and abduction of Baloch people sympathetic to the Baloch freedom struggle.

Dera Bugti killings: Last week another Baloch family was targeted in Patfeedar area of Sui when Pakistan forces attacked and killed five persons from same family including a woman and three children. The victims were identified as Hasoo Bugti along with his wife Shantul Bibi and three children Shahoo, Rukiya and Naaz Gul.

In the Patfeedar attack Pakistan forces also abducted 10 people including two women who were named as Loti son of Durra Bugti, Pazi Bibi wife of Loti Bugti, Baggan son of Loti Bugti, Jameel son of Loti Bugi, Bashir, Noor khan son of Hayatan Bugti, Nazghi son of Hayatan Bugti, Samreen Bibi wife Hayatan Bugti, and Noor Bibi daughter of Hayatan Bugti.

Mass abductions: Balochistan based rights groups claimed that at least 200 Baloch nomads and peasants abducted including women and children have been abducted during military attacks since April, 5. 2016.

The identity of some of the abducted persons have so far been confirmed as following: 12-year-old Qadir Baksh son of Khan Mohammad Lehri, Lal Baksh son of Khan Mohammad Lehri age 17, Batay Khan son of Omait Lehri age 18.

Sources are trying to ascertain the identity of the rest of the abducted persons and the victims of the Pakistani forces execution in Kalat, Mastung and Sibbi areas.