In the early morning on Monday, August 1, 2016, Gunship helicopters pounded “Balor” with heavy bombardments and shelling in a military operation by Pakistani army. “Balor” is a tiny village in “Kolwah” area. Half of “Kolwah” falls in “Kech” and another half in District “Awaran”. Operations were also carried out in other villages of “Kolwah” including “Sigikk” and “Kadd e Hotal”. CPEC Route 1 also passes through “Kolwah”, especially the above areas where operations were carried out.
Due to the past so many months of operations, many IDPs from “Hoshab” area, who left their homes to settle down in then relatively safer “Kolwah”, were badly affected by the recent operations. IDPs are mainly concentrated in “Sigikk, Balor” and “Kadd e Hotel” where operations took place. The IDPs are mostly from “Awaran” which has been center of past few years of military operations.
It was reported that ground forces came in big convoy after shelling of the helicopters almost stopped but they kept hovering in the sky in the areas wherever ground forces moved. Almost 50 vehicles convoy took part in this operation.
There are reports of looting and burning down of several houses. According to local sources, the settlements of IDPs were targets and affected in heavy shelling and bombardments of helicopters and military operations in “Hamid Bazar, Azum Bazar, Qadirdad Bazar, Marastan, Pullan Bazar, Roshin Bazar, Balach Bazar, Kohda Bazar” and “Ali Bakhsh Bazar” in “Kolwah”. The houses of IDPs were burnt to ashes in these areas. The military also took away many valuable household items and around 20 motorcycles.
As there is only a small dispensary in the area, the injured are in critical conditions without receiving medical treatments.
Eight persons are reportedly picked up by the forces during these operations, who are claimed by Security forces as ‘suspected terrorists’ including 70 years old Allah Bakhsh and 12 years old Akhtar Sadiq.
Names and details of the victims of enforced disappearances are the following:
- Nematullah s/o Mahmood Khan, 28, Medical Dispenser.
- Gazeer s/o Arzi, 48, Farmer.
- Alim s/o Azim, 30.
- Hasil s/o Gwahram, 40.
- Akhtar s/o Sadiq, 12, Student.
- Sameer s/o Naseer, 30, Truck Driver
- Maro
- Allah Bakhsh s/o Murad Mohammad, 70.
There are severe shortage of food, shelter and medical assistance as the army has completely cordoned the area off. NGOs and media are not allowed to access the affected area.
