'Why Have You Abandoned Us': BLA Releases Video Of Pakistani Soldiers Pleading For Help

Last Updated:February 20, 2026, 11:52 IST

According to the BLA’s claims, the soldiers were seized during what the group refers to as “Operation Herof 2.0”, a continuation of its insurgent campaign in Balochistan

Amid the long-running insurgency in Pakistan’s southwest, the separatist militant group Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) has released a video showing several captured Pakistani soldiers pleading for their lives and appealing to authorities for help. The footage was published by the BLA’s media arm, Hakkal Media, and depicts uniformed men on their knees in rugged terrain, holding up military identification cards and claiming they were issued service numbers and deployed by the Pakistani Army — assertions that directly challenge the military’s earlier denials that any of its personnel were missing or in militant custody.

According to the BLA’s claims, the soldiers were seized during what the group refers to as “Operation Herof 2.0", a continuation of its insurgent campaign in Balochistan, where separatist factions have intensified attacks against state forces and infrastructure since mid-2025. In the latest video, the detainees are shown confirming their military identities, unit details, and national identity documents, and one of the men can be heard lamenting that despite having fought for Pakistan, the army has “abandoned" them. The video also appears to show the captives urging the government and military leadership to engage in negotiations to secure their release.

The BLA’s recent statements suggest it has detained more than 20 individuals during its ongoing operations, releasing some — reportedly local Baloch levies and police — while retaining several regular army personnel. The group has set a deadline for a prisoner swap, demanding that Islamabad agree to exchange Baloch detainees held by Pakistani authorities for the captured soldiers before executing what it calls “court sentences" through its self-styled “Baloch National Court." The Pakistani government has not publicly acknowledged the soldiers’ capture, and independent verification from the conflict-affected region remains limited.

The incident unfolds against the backdrop of a deep-seated insurgency in Balochistan, where the BLA and other separatist factions have waged a decades-long guerrilla campaign rooted in grievances over political marginalisation and the exploitation of the resource-rich province’s natural wealth. In recent years, violence has surged, with the insurgents claiming increasingly sophisticated operations, including roadside bombings, coordinated attacks on security convoys, and large-scale assaults on state installations. In March 2025, the BLA was behind the hijacking of the Jaffar Express passenger train, an incident that underscored the group’s operational capabilities and amplified national security concerns.

The Pakistani government classifies the BLA as a terrorist organisation and has repeatedly rejected negotiations with militant groups. The latest video release and hostage situation highlight both the volatility of the security landscape in Balochistan and the enduring challenge that separatist insurgencies pose to state authority in the region.

News world 'Why Have You Abandoned Us': BLA Releases Video Of Pakistani Soldiers Pleading For Help

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