Baloch Liberation Army claims maritime ambush in Gwadar

An armed clash occurred in the Arabian Sea off the Jiwani coast in the Gwadar district on October 11, 2026, during a Pakistan Coast Guard anti-smuggling patrol. The confrontation began when a Coast Guard Rigid Inflatable Boat intercepted suspected vessels, leading to a firefight between security forces and militants.

The Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) claimed responsibility for the ambush through its specialized naval branch, the Hammal Maritime Defence Force. The group asserted that its fighters killed between four and 13 Coast Guard personnel.

Pakistani security sources have rejected these fatality claims. While officials confirmed that several Coast Guard personnel sustained injuries during the gunbattle, they maintained that no members of the force were killed. Investigators are also looking into whether the attack was coordinated to protect illicit smuggling routes.