QUETTA: Aslam Baloch alias Achhu, a key leader of the banned Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) and the mastermind of the recent attack on the Chinese consulate in Karachi, has been killed along with five other leaders of the organisation in a suicide attack in Kandahar, Afghanistan.

According to reports, the suicide attack was carried out at a house in the Aino Maina area, an upscale locality of Kandahar, on Tuesday where the BLA leaders had gathered for a meeting.

A spokesman for the BLA, Jeeyand Baloch, on Wednesday confirmed the killing of Aslam along with five other leaders of the militant organisation. He said in a statement issued from an undisclosed place: “Aslam Baloch alias Achhu has been killed along with five other key leaders of the BLA in an attack.”

He identified the five slain militants as Sangat Sardaro alias Tajo, Karim Marri alias Rahim Baloch, Sangat Akhtar Baloch alias Rustam, Freed Baloch and Sadiq Baloch.

Officials believe that Aslam alias Achhu was the mastermind of the attack on the Chinese consulate in Karachi and another suicide attack on a bus in the Dalbandin area of Chagai district which was carrying Chinese engineers and other staff to Quetta from Saindak this year.

Afghan Media reports said that the suicide bomber detonated his explosives in a house where Aslam and other BLA leaders were present. Aslam was injured in the attack and taken to hospital where he died.

Last year, he was injured during an operation launched by security forces in the Bolan area of Balochistan.

Published in Dawn, December 27th, 2018