Mir Yar Baloch, a Baloch leader, has accused Pakistan‘s military of carrying out an airstrike in Balochistan that allegedly killed 30 civilians, including women, children and infants.He claimed that video footage from the August 12 attack in Surab’s Gidar Goandhan area provides evidence of the military operation and said he plans to take the matter to the International Criminal Court.“The Republic of Balochistan has obtained video footage of the Surab Air Strike conducted by the external terrorist forces of Pakistan on 12th August, which killed 30 innocent Balochistan civilians including women, children, and infants and injured dozens more. The missile debris clearly visible in the video constitute irrefutable proof of Pakistan’s terrorism. They also thoroughly expose Pakistan’s military spokesperson, DG ISPR, who deliberately misled the global community on national media by claiming the attack was merely an IED blast on the ground,” Mir Yar Baloch wrote on X.
Baloch leader seeks US sanctions
Mir Yar Baloch has urged the US administration to impose sanctions on Pakistan and halt military support, including F-16 engine spare parts and upgrades to fighter jets and missile programmes.“The Republic of Balochistan urges the Trump administration to impose strict economic sanctions on Pakistan, cancel the delivery of spare parts for F-16 engines, and halt all upgradation package to its fighter jets and missile program. The Pakistan military and air force are massively employing these very weapons and aircraft against the people of the independent Republic of Balochistan. Washington must hold Pakistan fully accountable for its war crimes in Balochistan,” he added.ALSO READ | Peace talks abroad, protests at home: The many contradictions shaping Pakistan todayThe two sides have given sharply different accounts of what happened in Surab, leaving the circumstances of the incident and the actual civilian death toll disputed.
Pakistan disputes airstrike allegations
Pakistan’s military has rejected the claim of an airstrike and said the casualties were caused by a premature explosion involving a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device allegedly being assembled by militants.The Inter-Services Public Relations said the initial blast killed eight militants and that a secondary explosion involving other explosives stored at the site also caused civilian deaths.“However, the blast and secondary detonation of other explosives stored there by the terrorists of Indian Proxy have also reportedly caused tragic casualties of three nearby civilians,” the ISPR said.The military said Pakistani forces and Balochistan Police subsequently killed 10 more individuals, taking the reported militant death toll to 18. Two Pakistani soldiers were also injured during the exchange of fire.
Protests erupt over reported civilian deaths
The competing accounts have come amid protests in Balochistan following reports of civilian deaths in the Surab area.The Balochistan Post reported that more than 20 people were initially killed and at least 16 injured in the incident. Some local residents, however, claimed that the actual death toll could be higher.ALSO READ | Pakistani minister in Balochistan province escapes armed attack on convoy
