Kalat Hit by Fresh Airstrikes After Drone Attack as Balochistan Security Crisis Escalates

QUETTA, September 15, 2026, Security tensions in Balochistan have escalated after Pakistani military aircraft reportedly carried out strikes at two locations in Kalat district, following a reported drone attack in the Manguchar area a day earlier. The reports have not been accompanied by an official military account detailing the strikes or confirming casualties.

According to a report by The Balochistan Post, the reported airstrikes took place on Monday. The same report said a drone had targeted a vehicle in Manguchar on Sunday, while helicopter shelling and quadcopter activity were also reported from parts of the district.

The exact targets of the reported airstrikes remain unclear. Reports available so far have also not established whether the strikes caused deaths or injuries, meaning casualty figures circulating online should be treated with caution.

The reported escalation comes against a backdrop of continuing militant violence in Balochistan. Separately, the Balochistan Liberation Front has recently claimed attacks against Pakistani security personnel in several parts of the province, although militant claims are not independently verified.

Kalat has previously been a major flashpoint in the Balochistan insurgency, with armed groups carrying out attacks against security installations and personnel in and around the district. The latest reports therefore raise concerns about another escalation between Pakistani security forces and armed separatist groups operating in the province.

Pakistan's Balochistan government has recently taken a hard line against the insurgency. Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti said on September 12 that authorities would not negotiate with insurgent groups and that security operations would continue. (AP News)

For now, the reported airstrikes, the Manguchar drone incident and the wider military activity in Kalat remain a developing story. No reliable independent casualty figure has been established, and responsibility for the reported drone attack has not been conclusively confirmed.