Thirty-nine persons were forcibly disappeared by the Military in Balochistan in September this year, according to the reports received by the Baloch Human Rights Organization (BHRO) and Human Rights Council of Balochistan (HRCB) jointly. These abductions took place in six districts of Balochistan, while we could not confirm the reports in remaining twenty-six districts.
Abductees include Nasim Azeem, a student abducted by security forces from a check post in district Kech on 1st September when he was traveling from Hoshap to Quetta. The public transport vehicle was stopped at Balgathar check-post and he was taken away by security forces in front of other passengers.
Abdin Hamza was abducted on 10 September, on the first day of his wedding. Aqeel Rahmat, another person was also taken away along with the groom in the same raid in Mashkay town of district Awaran.
Two brothers, both grooms, Tahir and Jamal Fateh Mohammad were taken away by security forces on 13 September from their home in Raghay, district Washuk. Security forces interrupted their Nikah ceremony and took both the grooms away.
On 13 September, forces raided the house of Kohda Abdullah in Daschain, Mand and abducted Abdullah’s son, Mola Baksh. On resistance, her wife Murad Khatoon was tortured to death.
As the government does not allow the media and human rights organization to visit and report the situation, the armed conflict between Pakistan’s central government and the local nationalists of Balochistan has turned the region into a war zone. The government and nationalists often blame each other for the troubles, masses face.
Thirty-one persons were reported killed during the month. Among them, Nizam Pir Mohammad Sasoli was whisked away by security forces from Noshki, Balochistan, along with ten other persons on 31 August, 2018. He was then killed in a fake encounter on 16 September and the security forces claimed to kill him during a battle between the military and terrorists. The rest of the persons, abducted with him, are still missing.
Four persons were killed during a battle in Awaran on 7 September. Those killed were claimed to be fighters affiliated with Balochistan Liberation Front, BLF, an armed group involved in the attacks on military forces across Balochistan.
Sher Jan was killed by an explosion of a land mine in Awaran on 28 September. The Military has escalated its operations in the region and concealed land mines all over the area, which affect the local civilians more than the suspected armed men.
Abdul Rauf Dehwar, a schoolteacher was killed in a bomb blast in Mastung area of Balochistan while his son got injured in the blast, on 3 September.
BLF claimed responsibility for the killing of Gul Mohammad aka Haji Dugdug. He was “one of the heads of a death squad, active against the party and freedom struggle”, claimed BLF, which shot him dead on 6 September.
BLA, another armed nationalist group claimed responsibility for the killing of Jalil Zehri, who was shot dead in Hub Chowki on 26 September.
Gos Bakhsh and Sahil were shot killed in Tal area of Hoshap, district Kech on 23 September. A militant group, Balochistan Liberation Tigers, BLT claimed responsibility for killing both.
Nine persons were shot killed by unknown gunmen in different parts of Balochistan during the month. Neither the killers nor reasons behind these target killings are known.
Three soldiers, levies sepoys died in a suicide attack in Pishin, Balochistan on 14 September. Attack was carried out on the convoy of the assistant commissioner, who himself remained unharmed.
Mohammad Ishaq’s body was beyond recognition when found on 11 September, but the NIC in his pocket revealed his identity.
The identity of three persons killed by security forces in Mastung on 26 September is still not confirmed. Forces launched an operation in the region, whisked away women and children and killed three men.
The abduction of women and children is not a new phenomenon in Balochistan, though not established yet. Many women and children are abducted by security forces, especially in district Awaran.
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