Pakistani army accused of war crimes after drone strike on Zehri civilians

Balochistan [Pakistan], September 21 (ANI): A recent drone strike carried out by the Pakistani military in Zehri tehsil of Khuzdar district has left three civilians dead and several others injured.

The incident took place late on Wednesday night in the Tarasani area, where residents had assembled outside a home. The victims were identified as 40-year-old Bibi Amna, wife of Sanaullah; 41-year-old Lal Bibi, wife of Ali Akbar; and 30-year-old Muhammad Hassan, son of Muhammad Yaqoob.

Five others sustained injuries in the attack, as reported by The Balochistan Post.

According to The Balochistan Post, local sources said that the injured were being taken to nearby hospitals when Frontier Corps personnel intercepted the convoy near Anjeera Cross. Security forces allegedly took the wounded into custody, including Ali Akbar, who was later transported to an undisclosed location.

Meanwhile, Sanaullah and his four-year-old son were shifted to Surab, while two more injured were transferred to Quetta for medical treatment.

The Pakistani military has confirmed that its forces carried out the drone strike but claimed the operation was directed against members of an armed Baloch group.

According to the army’s statement, weapons and explosives were recovered during the raid. However, the military provided no names or further details, raising concerns among local communities and human rights groups, who disputed the claim and stressed that innocent civilians were among the victims, as reported by The Balochistan Post.

Condemning the incident, the Baloch Students Organisation-Azad (BSO-Azad) described the attack as yet another example of “ongoing war crimes in occupied Balochistan.”

A spokesperson for the group said that the killing of civilians in Zehri demonstrated the Pakistani military’s desperation to “cover up its failures” and reflected what they called a “clear sign of its defeat.”

BSO-Azad further vowed that despite such “atrocities and war crimes,” the Baloch people would not give up their struggle for national freedom. The organisation reiterated that the military’s actions, rather than weakening the movement, were intensifying resistance in the province.

The Zehri incident has once again fueled anger in Balochistan, where civilian casualties in military operations continue to stoke widespread resentment, as reported by The Balochistan Post. (ANI)

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