The Pakistan Army has launched a major military operation in the Mashkay area of Balochistan’s Awaran district. Gunship helicopters are actively involved, with intense shelling and mortar fire reported across various locations.
According to local sources, the operation began early on Saturday morning, targeting areas including Bazi, Murmasi, Khalkhalonk, Pachar, Lahro, and surrounding regions.
Eyewitnesses report that the military is conducting mortar fire in populated areas while helicopter gunships patrol the skies. Clashes between the Pakistani forces and armed groups have also been reported.
On Friday, similar armed clashes were reported in the Buleda area of Kech district. These clashes reportedly involved alleged Pakistan Army-supported groups, locally known as ‘death squads,’ and Baloch fighters known as ‘Sarmachars.’
This operation follows a series of intensified military actions in Balochistan, including a recent operation in the Kalat and Bolan regions. The escalation in military operations comes after the announcement of Operation Azm-e-Istehkam in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa by the Pakistani government.
Operation Azm-e-Istehkaam was announced as part of a broader strategy to eliminate ‘extremism’ and ‘terrorism.’ However, Baloch and Pashtun groups have voiced serious concerns over it, recalling previous military actions that resulted in mass killings, enforced disappearances, widespread destruction, and the displacement of entire populations.