Gunmen open fire at China-operated Pakistan port complex; all 8 attackers killed
Armed Baloch militants entered Gwadar's Port Authority Complex and opened fire while several explosions were heard in the area, reports said.
All eight militants were killed after an attack on Pakistan's Gwadar port authority complex on Wednesday in the Balochistan province, chief minister Sarfraz Bugti said.
Bugti said in a post on X, “Eight terrorists tried to attack the Gwadar Port Authority complex today. All of them have been neutralised by security forces. The message is loud & clear. Whosoever chooses to use violence will see no mercy from the state. Kudos to all law enforcement bravehearts who fought bravely today for Pakistan.”
As reported by Geo News, a blast preceded the firing.
Armed militants entered Gwadar's Port Authority Complex and opened fire while several explosions were heard in the area, reports have stated.
Makran Commissioner Saeed Ahmed Umrani told Dawn, a Pakistan-based news organisation, that police and security forces were heavily deployed at the scene.
The Express Tribune newspaper said the Majeed Brigade, which is affiliated with the banned Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), had claimed responsibility for the attack.
This attack comes after Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif issued a firm declaration that his government would not tolerate any form of cross-border terrorism.
The Gwadar port is significant to the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), which includes multi-billion roads and energy projects and is also a part of China President Xi Jinping's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).
Under the BRI, China has made significant investments in mineral-rich Balochistan and also developed the Gwadar, despite Balochistan's historically violent separatist insurgency.
The BLA, a separatist group, opposes China's investments in Balochistan and accuses both China and Pakistan of exploiting the province's abundant resources.
Balochistan shares borders with Iran and Afghanistan.