"Cross-Border Strikes: Implications for Balochistan and West Asia"
Iran's airstrike on a Pakistani border town targeted the terrorist militia Jaish al-Adl, while Pakistan retaliated by attacking an Iranian village to eliminate fighters of the Balochistan Liberation Front (BLF), both of which are militant separatist groups fighting for the independence of the Balochistan region. The Baloch, an ethnic group living on both sides of the Iran-Pakistan border, have faced violent suppression of autonomy efforts, leading to increasing radicalization and attacks. The region is rich in natural resources, but the population remains among the poorest, with tensions exacerbated by infrastructure developments like the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor. Tensions between Iran and Pakistan are further complicated by their involvement in other regional conflicts, and both countries have their own domestic concerns that make further escalation unlikely.