Pakistan (MNN) – A militant group has Attacks on Chinese infrastructure projects in the Balochistan province of Pakistan. fight between the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) and the Pakistani military lasted 70 hours.
Nehemiah with FMI talks about the BLA. “This terrorist organization has nothing to do with Islamic ideology. They are Muslim terrorists, but they really only want to control their own country. They want to separate from Pakistan. And they want to establish Islamic law in this region, which they call Greater Balochistan.”
motivations
Nehemiah says the BLA does not want cooperation between the Chinese government and Pakistan. They believe the Pakistani government is using Balochistan to expand its ties with China.
The BLA emerged in the summer of 2000 when it carried out bomb attacks on civilians. But the attacks on Chinese infrastructure projects are the largest they have carried out in years.
Nehemiah says: “This area, the whole region, is almost a no-go area. If you want to go there, you need a very special permit from the Pakistani authorities. And the reason people don’t go there is because of these insurgents and their targets and these killings.”
danger to Christians
The BLA is aimed specifically at foreigners or minorities. Nehemiah says they attacked churches, as well as Shiite Muslim and Hindu groups.
Ask God to protect the FMI partners working in the region. Pray that many people in Balochistan will accept Jesus. Nehemiah says, “We have partners there who minister and help people learn about Jesus Christ. They’re trying to bring the Word of God to these mountains.”
“We were there a few months ago and saw how difficult it is to serve in this region.”
The header shows the flag of the BLA. (Photo courtesy of HapHaxion, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons)
