Pakistan Army Major Among Two Soldiers Killed in Armed Quadcopter Attack in Balochistan

Islamabad (Terror Monitor) —Two Pakistani military personnel, including an army major, have been killed after militants targeted security forces’ patrol vehicles with armed quadcopters in Balochistan, while security forces killed eight suspected militants, including a suicide bomber, in a separate operation in the province, according to the Pakistani military.

The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the military’s media wing, said on Saturday that the drone attack took place on November 14 in the Kardagap area, where militants used weaponised quadcopters to target military vehicles conducting patrol duties.

The military identified the two personnel killed in the attack as Major Omer Minhas Nasir, a resident of Chakwal district in Punjab province, and Havildar Muhammad Adnan Khan, who belonged to Kotli Sattian.

The attack came as security forces were conducting a series of intelligence-based operations in Balochistan, particularly around Kolpur, Kardagap and Nushki, alongside patrols and security operations along the strategically important Quetta-Taftan National Highway (N-40).

According to the ISPR, security forces killed eight suspected militants, including a suicide bomber, during an operation in the Kolpur area of Kachhi district on the night between November 13 and 14.

The military said a large cache of weapons and ammunition was also recovered during the operation.

The ISPR said the ongoing operations were aimed at improving security in the region and ensuring the uninterrupted movement of civilian traffic along the Quetta-Taftan highway. It added that clearance operations would continue until the security threat had been eliminated.

BLA Claims Responsibility

The outlawed Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) has claimed responsibility for the armed quadcopter attack in Kardagap. The claim has not been independently verified.

The attack highlights the growing use of armed commercial-style drones in attacks against Pakistani security forces in Balochistan, adding a new dimension to the long-running insurgency in the province.

Government Response

Pakistan’s Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi condemned the attack and said Major Omer Minhas Nasir and Havildar Muhammad Adnan Khan were killed in the drone strike.

Naqvi also said security forces had killed eight militants, including a suicide bomber, during the counterterrorism operation in Balochistan.

Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti also condemned the attack, saying there would be no safe havens for those involved in activities against peace and stability in the province.

Bugti said the use of advanced drone technology and other destructive methods would not weaken the state's resolve. He added that state institutions were strengthening their capabilities and adapting their strategies to counter evolving militant tactics.

International Media Coverage

Turkey's state-run Anadolu Agency also reported the incident on November 14, citing the Pakistani military. Its report confirmed the deaths of Major Omer Minhas Nasir and Havildar Muhammad Adnan Khan in the armed quadcopter attack, as well as the killing of eight suspected militants in Kolpur.

International coverage has also highlighted the increasing security challenges in Balochistan, where the BLA has been involved in a prolonged insurgency against the Pakistani state. The Associated Press has previously reported on the group's coordinated attacks and the military's counterinsurgency operations in the province.