Suspected separatists kill 8 Pakistani policemen in ‘coordinated’ attacks

Pakistan has been battling a separatist movement in Balochistan for decades, where rebels target state forces, foreign nationals and non-locals.Published On 31 Jan 2026At least eight policemen have been killed by suspected separatists who launched “coordinated” attacks in multiple cities across Pakistan’s southwestern Balochistan province, officials said.Several police stations in the provincial capital of Quetta were targeted by alleged ethnic Baloch gunmen in an attack that began at about 3am local time (01:00 GMT) on Sunday.Recommended Stories list of 4 itemslist 1 of 4Pakistan military raids kill 41 armed fighters in Balochistanlist 2 of 4Why is Pakistan making India a key figure in its dispute with the Taliban?list 3 of 4US puts Balochistan armed group in Pakistan on ‘foreign terrorist’ listlist 4 of 4Israel is trying to hijack the Baloch struggleend of listPakistan has been battling a separatist movement in Balochistan for decades, where rebels target state forces, foreign nationals and non-locals in the mineral-rich southwestern province bordering Afghanistan and Iran.“The coordinated gun and suicide attacks are being carried out across Balochistan, mainly in Quetta, Pasni, Mastung, Nushki and Gwadar districts,” a senior security official based in Quetta told the AFP news agency, speaking on condition of anonymity as he was not authorised to speak to the media.The attacks “failed due to poor planning and rapid collapse under effective security response,” the official added, without commenting on the death toll.Some members of the Pakistani security forces are reported to have been abducted. Internet and train services have been suspended, while a security operation is under way.The Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), the most active separatist group in the province, claimed responsibility for the attacks, AFP reported. The group claimed to target military installations and police and civil administration officials during gun attacks and suicide bombings.The Pakistani government has not yet commented on the BLA’s claim.