A female suicide bomber of the banned Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) blew herself up at the entrance of a paramilitary force headquarters in Pakistan’s restive Balochistan province, triggering a prolonged gunfight that left six militants dead, security officials said on Tuesday.
According to officials, the attacker detonated herself at the main entrance of the Frontier Corps (FC) headquarters in Nokundi town of Chagai district on Sunday night. The BLA later identified the bomber as Zinata Rafiq and circulated her photograph.
Immediately after the explosion, six militants attempted to storm the facility. Security officials said three of them were killed near the entrance after an extended exchange of fire, while the remaining three managed to enter the compound before being encircled and shot dead by FC personnel.
Residents reported hearing intermittent gunfire and explosions from within the headquarters until Monday evening.
The attack marks at least the third instance in which the BLA — considered the most active and heavily armed insurgent outfit in Balochistan — has deployed a female suicide bomber.
In April 2022, Shari Baloch, a mother of two, carried out a suicide bombing targeting Chinese teachers at the Confucius Institute of Karachi University, killing four people, including three Chinese nationals.
In June 2023, another female bomber, Sumaiya Qalandrani Baloch, attacked a Pakistan military convoy in the Turbat area of Balochistan.
Investigations into the October 2024 killing of two Chinese engineers near Karachi Airport also revealed that a female BLA activist had played a leading role in planning and executing that attack.