Gwadar, March 20 : Militants of the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), armed with bombs and heavy ammunition entered into the Gwadar Port Authority Complex in an attempt to take over the premises.

The attackers opened fire upon entering the complex while multiple bomb blasts were also heard in the surroundings. Security forces and contingents of police and security forces reached the scene and engaged in a heavy and intense exchange of firing.

Commissioner of Makran Saeed Ahmed Umrani said that at least seven attackers who tried to enter the complex were blocked by the prompt response of the security forces who confronted and their attack was foiled.

'There have been seven attackers that have been neutralised so far. We are still assessing the injured,' he said.

Sources also confirmed that a cleansing and search operation was also underway at the moment. There were no casualties reported in the attack.

The Majeed Brigade of the proscribed Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) has claimed responsibility for the terror attack.

The latest attack by BLA comes amid a spike in terror activities in Pakistan, especially focused in the Khyber Pukhtunkhwa (KP) and Balochistan province. Pakistan security forces have been conducting targeted Intelligence Based Operations (IBO) to root out footprints of terror groups, terrorists and their affiliate factions including the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and Baloch Liberation Army (BLA).

Majeed Brigade of BLA has been actively carrying out attacks on the Pakistani security forces.

TTP and BLA has also come into an affiliation raising more security-level challenges for Pakistan.

Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has said that attacks being carried out, facilitated and orchestrated from across the border will not be tolerated and will be responded to with full force.

The month of February 2024 has been the deadliest for Pakistan as it has experienced at least 97 militant attacks, which have resulted in at least 87 deaths and at least 118 injuries.

/IANS