QUETTA: At least four people were killed and nine others injured after armed militants attacked a village near Quetta, a provincial minister said on Monday. Authorities warned the death toll could rise as several villagers remain missing.
The attack took place on Sunday evening in Killi Babri, a mountainous village in the Hanna Urak valley, about 30 kilometers east of Quetta.
The assault came days after residents protested against militant threats and their growing presence in the area. Villagers had blocked roads leading to the valley and demanded better security. Officials later assured them of additional protection.
Balochistan Health Minister Bakht Muhammad Kakar, who represents the area in the provincial assembly, said a group of “terrorists” attacked the village despite the government’s security assurances.
“At least four people were killed and nine others were injured in the clashes between terrorists and local villagers,” Kakar told Arab News. “The villagers were already on alert because of earlier threats, but the number of casualties may increase as some people are still missing.”
No group immediately claimed responsibility for the attack.
A government official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said militants linked to the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), also known as the Pakistani Taliban, carried out the assault.
“These militants descended from nearby mountains last week but the villagers forced them to retreat,” the official said. “They returned on Sunday evening and attacked the village.”
Kakar said personnel from the Frontier Corps, the Anti-Terrorist Force (ATF) and the police rushed to the area after the attack. Security forces launched a clearance operation, but the attackers escaped under the cover of darkness.
Following the violence, the Balochistan government announced plans to establish a joint security checkpoint in Killi Babri.
“The government has decided to establish a joint checkpoint to strengthen security, improve coordination and ensure a rapid response to future threats,” the provincial Home Department said in a statement.
Meanwhile, residents of the Hanna Urak valley blocked a major highway linking Quetta to the area. They demanded immediate action against militants operating in the region.
Balochistan, Pakistan’s largest province by area, has faced a long-running insurgency for decades. Militants from the TTP and ethnic Baloch armed groups have frequently targeted security forces and civilians.
The TTP has carried out some of Pakistan’s deadliest militant attacks since 2007 as it seeks to impose its interpretation of Islamic law across the country.
