Balochistan Attack: BLA Releases Photos of Two Female Suicide Bombers

The banned Balochistan Liberation Army has released photographs of two suicide attackers involved in its recent large-scale and deadly assault across Pakistan’s Balochistan province. Notably, both attackers were women, marking a rare and significant development in the region’s long-running insurgency. The militant group has claimed responsibility for the coordinated attacks, which resulted in the deaths of nearly 50 people, including at least 17 security personnel.

One of the women attackers has been identified as 24-year-old Asifa Mengal. According to a statement issued by the BLA, she was a resident of Nushki district in Balochistan and the daughter of Mohammad Ismail. The group claimed that Mengal was born on October 2, 2002, and joined the BLA’s Majeed Brigade, its suicide wing, on her 21st birthday. The statement further alleged that she volunteered to become a ‘fidayee’, or suicide attacker, in January 2024 and was involved in targeting an intelligence facility in Nushki during the recent operation.

The identity of the second woman attacker has not yet been officially disclosed. However, a video circulating online reportedly shows her moments before carrying out the attack. In the footage, she is seen alongside armed male militants, mocking the Pakistani government and accusing it of oppression. Speaking in the Balochi language, she claims that the state only displays power against unarmed civilians and lacks the ability to confront insurgents directly. The video also features calls for unity among the Baloch population and praise for militants who, according to the speaker, are sacrificing their lives for the cause.

Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif confirmed that at least two of the coordinated attacks involved female perpetrators. The scale of the violence prompted an extensive security response, with Pakistani forces launching a prolonged counter-operation lasting nearly 40 hours. Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti stated that more than 140 militants were killed during the security forces’ operations to regain control and prevent further escalation.

The attacks began on Friday night and continued into Saturday, affecting multiple towns and districts across the province. Government officials said militants disguised as civilians entered public places, including schools, banks, hospitals, and marketplaces, before opening fire. Incidents were reported from Nushki, Hub, Chaman, Naseerabad, Gwadar, and Makran, highlighting the wide geographical spread of the assault.

Authorities claimed they had prior intelligence indicating that a large operation was being planned, which allowed security forces to respond swiftly. The Pakistani military stated that all attempts by militants to seize control of cities or strategic installations were successfully repelled. Meanwhile, the BLA announced that the attacks were part of the second phase of an operation it has named ‘Herof’, or “black storm”, aimed primarily at security forces across Balochistan.

Balochistan, Pakistan’s largest yet poorest province, has been plagued by decades of insurgency driven by separatist groups demanding independence and greater control over the region’s vast natural resources. The involvement of women as suicide attackers in this latest violence has drawn attention to evolving tactics within militant groups and has intensified concerns over security and stability in the volatile border region, which lies adjacent to Afghanistan and Iran.