ISLAMABAD: The involvement of women in insurgent attacks in Balochistan is rising, with female militants taking part in suicide bombings and other operations, officials say. Recent images released by insurgents, showing Yasma Baloch and her husband Waseem in military fatigues carrying rifles before carrying out suicide missions, illustrate this growing trend, though Reuters has not independently verified the photos.
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The phenomenon is seen as a propaganda tactic by rebels to expand their influence and reach, experts say. “It gives them popularity and reach, and it impresses on their community that the fight has entered their homes,” said Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhry. He added that Pakistan has raised the issue of online insurgent recruitment with major social media platforms.
بلوچستان میں شدت پسندوں کی نئی حکمتِ عملی: خواتین خودکش بمبار اور جدید ہتھیارhttps://t.co/YMCUHb86Z2#urduinternational #BreakingNews #Pakistan #PakistanNews #Balochistan pic.twitter.com/STyG3KRzKS
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Officials noted that three female suicide bombers were among six women involved in the group’s largest wave of attacks in January, which killed 58 people and nearly paralyzed the province. Prior records indicate that five women carried out similar attacks, including the first such incident in 2022, while three more potential female bombers were captured in recent counter-terrorism operations.
Analysts say the participation of women amplifies the insurgent group’s firepower. Abdul Basit, an expert on militancy at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore, described the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) as “the most organised and lethal insurgent group in South Asia today.” He highlighted the group’s use of drones to monitor troop movements, as well as satellite communications during a 2025 train hijacking involving over 400 people.
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Authorities warn that the insurgency’s expanding tactics, including the use of female militants, present new security challenges. With access to weapons left behind in Afghanistan following the US withdrawal in 2021, officials stress the need for coordinated counter-terrorism measures to protect civilians and curb the BLA’s growing capabilities.