Baluch Liberation Front

The group was founded by Jumma Khan in 1964 in Damascus, Syria. Jumma Khan was a resident of the coastal town of Pasni in Balochistan. He was a prominent agitator against the handing over of an Iranian Baloch rebel by Pakistani Government. Fearing for his life he fled to Syria where he formed the group. Four years after its formation, the group took part in Iranian Baloch revolt against the government of Iran. During this time Iraqi and Syrian government publicly supported and provided Baluch Liberation Front (BLF) with weapons and operational support.[2] However, after five years of fighting, BLF and other Baloch militant groups were decimated by Iran. The militant groups negotiated an end to fighting with government of Iran and Iraq stopped openly supporting BLF with arms support. However, government of Iraq still maintained relation with group's leadership.[2]

Following the end of conflict with Iran, BLF and other Baloch militant groups started inciting insurgency against the government of Pakistan from 1973 to 1977. Initially Iraqi government covertly provided BLF and other militant groups with arms and ammunition.[2] Indian journalist, Avinash Paliwal, states that during the 1970s, Junior level Indian intelligence officials were actively involved in operations in Balochistan. Those officers state that "we gave Baloch everything, from money to guns, during the 1970s, everything".[6] On 10 February 1973, Pakistani government raided Iraqi embassy in Islamabad and uncovered crates of small arms and ammunition that were allegedly being supplied to BLF and other militant groups.[2] In response, Pakistani government launched military operation against BLF which pushed BLF out of Balochistan into Afghanistan by the end of 1974.[2] Republic of Afghanistan was sanctuary for all anti-Pakistani militant groups and from 1975-1980, it was estimated that Republic of Afghanistan provided BLF members based in Afghanistan with $875,000 annually.[7] While in exile in Afghanistan, Soviet Union also allegedly helped BLF to regroup, allowing it rejoin 1973 to 1977 insurgency. The insurgency came to an end in November 1977 with government of Pakistan emerging victorious.[2] From 1977 to 2004, BLF status was unknown. However, according to reports, BLF did not disband. The group re-emerged in 2004 after Allah Nazar Baloch took command of the group in 2003.[2]

The group is responsible for attack on government officials and military personnel in Balochistan since it re-emergence in 2004. In August 2012, Reporters without borders announced that BBC’s Urdu service correspondent in Quetta Ayub Tareen has been threatened by the BLF for his perceived partisan reporting on the group's political activities.[8]

On early 27 July 2013, gunmen attacked a coastguard checkpost in Suntsar, Gwadar District. The attack was carried out by 24 armed gunmen which resulted in death of seven coast guards and injured seven others. Two injured coast guards were also kidnapped by the militants. Baluch Liberation Front claimed responsibility for the attack on the coastguard checkpost. BLF also stated that two of their militants were also killed in the attack.[9]

In 12 April 2015, 20 construction workers from Punjab and Sindh province were gunned down in Turbat by armed gunmen, which the BLF later claimed responsibility for. After the attack, the Home Minister of Balochistan, Sarfraz Bugti claimed that Indian intelligence agencies were involved in supporting the BLF in carrying out such attacks.[10] BLF claimed that the workers were members of Frontier Works Organization, which is a body linked to the Pakistani Army.[11]

On 16 November 2017, the bullet-riddled bodies of 15 migrants were discovered in the city of Turbat. Security officials state that while attempting to cross the border, the migrants were kidnapped by armed men who later killed them. The BLF later claimed responsibility for the murder of the 15 migrants.[12] The mastermind of the attack, Younas Taukali, was killed by Pakistani security forces in November 2017. Younas Taukali was one of the top eight commanders of Baluch Liberation Front.[3]