Balochistan: A banned separatist organisation operating in Pakistan’s restive Balochistan province has released images of two women it says carried out suicide attacks during a wave of coordinated assaults that rocked the region over the weekend. The development marks a rare and troubling instance of female militants being deployed in one of the deadliest phases of the long-running insurgency.
The Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) confirmed that both attackers were women in their early twenties and claimed they were part of its elite suicide wing, known as the Majeed Brigade. The group said the attacks were conducted under the second phase of its ongoing campaign, codenamed “Herof” or “Black Storm”, aimed at Pakistani security forces and intelligence installations.
One of the women has been identified by the BLA as Asifa Mengal, a 24-year-old from Nushki district. According to the group, she was born in October 2002 and had received formal education before joining the insurgency. The BLA alleged that Mengal targeted an Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) facility in Nushki, carrying out a suicide mission earlier this year after volunteering in January.
The second attacker, named Hawa Baloch, appeared in a video released by the militant group shortly before the assault. In the footage, she is seen standing alongside armed men and delivering a statement in the Balochi language. She accuses the Pakistani state of exploiting and repressing the people of Balochistan, particularly women, and urges locals to rally behind the insurgent cause. The video has been widely circulated online and appears designed to amplify the group’s propaganda by highlighting women’s participation in armed resistance.
Militant activity across the province intensified late Friday and continued into Saturday, with attacks reported from multiple districts including Nushki, Gwadar, Hub, Chaman, Naseerabad and parts of Makran. Pakistani officials said the assaults targeted both security installations and public spaces. Nearly 50 people were reported killed, among them at least 17 members of the security forces.
Defence Minister Khawaja Asif confirmed that women were involved in at least two of the attacks, calling it an alarming shift in militant tactics. In response, Pakistani security forces launched a large-scale counter-operation that continued for almost 40 hours. Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti stated that more than 140 militants had been killed during the operation, adding that intelligence agencies had received warnings of a major coordinated strike in advance.
Government officials said militants attempted to blend into civilian populations, entering markets, schools, hospitals and banks disguised as ordinary citizens. Junior Interior Minister Talal Chaudhry said security forces managed to prevent insurgents from seizing control of any city or key infrastructure despite the scale of the attacks.
Analysts say the involvement of young, educated women reflects a notable evolution in the Baloch insurgency, which has historically been male-dominated. The conflict, rooted in grievances over political marginalisation, resource control and alleged human rights abuses, has persisted for decades but has seen renewed intensity in recent years.
As security operations continue across Balochistan, the release of images and videos by the BLA underscores both the group’s intent to project strength and the deepening complexity of a conflict that shows few signs of abating.
