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Baloch militants release video of female ‘fidayeen’ amid deadly clashes with Pakistan forces
BLA's media wing, Hakkal, shared a video of a female fidayee fighter participating in Operation Herof Phase II on the Gwadar front.
The militant group Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) in Pakistan has released images and videos showing female fighters engaged in combat during its ongoing clashes with the country's armed forces.
The BLA's media wing Hakkal shared a video of a female “fidayeen” ('self-sacrificing') fighter participating in resistance to Pak military as part of the BLA's Operation Herof II on the Gwadar front, news agency ANI reported.
The fighter, who is known as ‘Fidayee Hawa Baloch’ and goes by the alias Droshum, is seen fighting alongside male fighters in the footage. The video, which BLA called her “final message”, shows her in combat around twelve hours before she was killed during clashes with Pakistani security forces, according to the ANI report.
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The BLA, in a separate announcement, introduced another female fighter Asifa Mengal associated with its Majeed Brigade.
Mengal, born on October 2, 2002, in Killi Qazi Abad, Noshki, reportedly joined the BLA on her 21st birthday in 2023, according to ANI sources. She was officially took her “fidayee decision” in January 2024.
She reportedly carried out a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device (IED) operation targeting the Pakistani spy agency ISI's headquarters in Noshki, according to information provided by Hakkal on January 31, 2026.
So far, nearly 200 people have been killed in these clashes.
What is the BLA? Why is it clashing with Pak forces?
The BLA is an armed separatist organisation which operates in the Balochistan province of Pakistan, and has launched Operation Herof Phase II.
The BLA describes the operation as a coordinated offensive across multiple locations in Balochistan, signalling an escalation in the group's activities in the region, ANI reported.
Formed in the early 2000s, the BLA seeks independence for Balochistan, citing political marginalisation, economic exploitation, and human rights abuses by Pakistan.
The armed group conducts guerrilla-style attacks, including bombings, killings and sabotage, against Pakistan's security forces and the government infrastructure, according to ANI.
Amid the clashes in Balochistan, there has also been an increase in kidnappings, enforced disapperances and targeted abductions in the region.
