Gul Yousafzai, Asif Shahzad

QUETTA (Reuters) – Insurgents from Balochistan, Pakistan, have attacked two military bases and killed one soldier. They also lost four men. This is the latest violence in this resource-rich region where China invests.

Hours before Imran Khan, Prime Minister of Pakistan, set out for Beijing to open the Winter Olympic Games, the overnight attacks occurred.

Khan released a statement Thursday stating that “we salute our brave security force who repelled terrorist attacks.”

Baloch Liberation Army’s (BLF) rebel group claims responsibility for this incident. A statement was sent to Reuters by the BLF, claiming that its suicide bombers detonated explosive-laden vehicles near the base entry. This killed over 50 soldiers.

The insurgents attacked a position near Gwadar (on the Arabian Sea), killing 10 soldiers. It was the worst attack against the Balochistan army for years.

Both Wednesday night’s attacks in Panjgur and Naushki districts were stopped by the army.

The government has been fighting ethnic Baloch rebels

For decades, a separatist state was sought. The central government exploited Balochistan’s natural gas reserves and minerals unfairly.

They often attack infrastructure, security forces and gas projects. They sometimes attack Chinese companies and kill Chinese workers. Despite Pakistan’s assurances, they are doing all it can to defend the projects.

China was involved in Gwadar’s port development and in other provincial projects as part of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor worth $60 billion, part of Beijing’s Belt and Road initiative.

India has been accused by Pakistan of supporting insurgents from Balochistan. India denied that.

(Reporting, writing and editing by Asif Shahzad Islamaad. Saud Mehsud Dera Ismail Khan. Editing done by Robert Birsel.