Pakistan: Frontier Corps accused of arming death squads as landmines kill civilians in Dera Bugti

London [United Kingdom], September 18 (ANI) The central spokesman of Baloch Republican Party (BRM), Sher Mohammad Bugti, condemned the attempts to seize the lands in Lanju and Saghari regions of Dera Bugti, where locals claim the Frontier Corps (FC) is backing an armed group known as the "Death Squad" to forcibly occupy the ancestral lands of the late tribal leader, Nawab Akbar Khan Bugti.

Taking to the social media platform X, Sher Mohammad Bugti stated that according to the residents, FC is allegedly providing this group with substantial financial assistance, heavy weaponry, ammunition, and even modern quadcopter drones to strengthen its operations in the conflict-stricken areas. Locals further allege that the FC commandant in Sui is directly supervising the ongoing campaign.

Over the past several weeks, villagers say members of the Death Squad have been laying landmines across Bugti's disputed lands in Lanju and Saghari. The practice turned deadly when three separate explosions killed three civilians, including a woman and a young girl, and left six others wounded, many of them women. In addition, nearly half a dozen livestock were also killed in one of the blasts, deepening the suffering of the affected families.

Tribal elders condemned the incidents, holding the Frontier Corps responsible for supporting the Death Squad and facilitating the takeover of the Bugti family's lands. "These deaths are the result of a systematic attempt to displace us," said one elder, who declined to be named for security reasons. "The responsibility for every life lost in these attacks lies squarely on the Frontier Corps."

Despite the mounting accusations, FC and government authorities have yet to issue an official response. Residents say their earlier appeals to the local administration for protection went unheard, leaving them vulnerable to further violence. Local leaders have demanded urgent clearance of landmines by professional demining teams, immediate medical aid for the injured, and accountability for those responsible for arming and financing the militia. (ANI)

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