Four Civilians Reportedly Killed in Drone Strike in Pakistan's Balochistan

Quetta: At least four people were killed and another was critically injured after a drone strike allegedly carried out by Pakistani security forces hit a civilian house in the Khuzdar district of Balochistan on Friday, according to the rights group Baloch Voice for Justice.

The victims were identified as Irfan, Mir Gul and Ali Gul, while the identity of the fourth deceased had not been confirmed at the time of reporting. A man identified as Munir was seriously injured in the attack and was shifted to Karachi for emergency treatment, where he remains in critical condition, the organisation said.

The incident reportedly took place in the Moola Manjalo area of Khuzdar. Condemning the strike, the rights group described it as a "brutal act of state violence" and alleged that civilians were being targeted through drone attacks.

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According to the organisation, the latest strike is part of a broader pattern of violence in the region. It claimed that previous drone strikes in the Moola and Zehri areas had also resulted in civilian casualties.

The group urged international human rights organisations to investigate the reported incident independently and called for accountability and justice for the victims and their families.

The reported drone strike comes amid intensified ground and aerial operations by Pakistani security forces in several parts of Balochistan. Local media have reported recent shelling and helicopter operations in areas including Wadh, Ornach and Zehri, with residents alleging that civilian areas were affected.

Last week, another person was reportedly killed and several others, including women and children, were injured during shelling in Khuzdar. Following that incident, residents staged a sit-in protest, accusing Pakistani security forces of targeting civilian settlements.

Balochistan has witnessed a long-running insurgency and frequent allegations by Baloch rights groups of enforced disappearances, extrajudicial killings and other human rights violations. Pakistani authorities have consistently maintained that their security operations are aimed at combating militant groups operating in the province.

With inputs from IANS