Baloch Republican Army Claims Attack on Security Forces Guarding the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor
Baloch Republican Army Claims Attack on Security Forces Guarding the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor
On August 7th, the Baloch Republican Army (BRA) took responsibility for a remote-controlled improvised explosive device (IED) attack against security forces in Pakistan’s Panjgur district.
The BRA — a separatist group that considers Pakistani forces to be occupiers — strategically targets China’s Belt and Road (BRI) interests in the area to undermine the national government. The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is a flagship component of the BRI and runs directly through Balochistan territory. To address the militant threat, Pakistan has even established military units to protect CPEC projects.
In their claim, the BRA states:
We make it clear once again that our armed struggle will continue against the so-called CPEC and China’s failed investment as long as China does not refrain from investing in Balochistan against the consent of the Baloch. Our attacks will continue till the establishment of an independent Balochistan.
The bombing follows in the wake of a July 28th attack on Chinese engineers in Karachi by the Balochistan Liberation Front (BLF) and an August 3rd BRA operation against CPEC guard posts — after which the group warned that their “armed activities against so-called CPEC project will be intensified.”