Pakistan's insurgency takes a shocking turn as BLA unveils women attackers; Who are Asifa Mengal and Hawa Baloch?

Just a day after coordinated suicide bombings and gun assaults in Balochistan killed 33 people, most of them civilians, Pakistan’s long-running insurgency in the region has taken a striking new turn. After coordinated, high-intensity attacks across multiple districts, the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) has now pushed two women to the centre of its public narrative: Asifa Mengal and Hawa Baloch. With this, there's a shift in how the group is framing its campaign, blending armed violence with symbolism and identity. This comes as Pakistani officials and security forces claimed to have killed 145 ‘Fitna al-Hindustan’ militants in less than two days during sweeping counterterrorism raids across Balochistan.

Who is Asifa Mengal? The face of the latest attacks

Asifa Mengal, 24, has been identified by the BLA as one of the female attackers involved in the latest wave of violence. The group claims she was from the Nushki district and the daughter of Mohammad Ismail.

Born in October 2002, Asifa reportedly joined the BLA’s elite Majeed Brigade after turning 21. According to the group’s own account, she volunteered last year to become a “fidayee”, committing herself to a suicide mission.

The BLA claims Asifa played a key role in the attack on an Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) facility in Nushki. Photographs released by the group show her in militant attire, widely interpreted as an attempt to elevate her into a symbol of resistance.

Hawa Baloch and the Gwadar front

Alongside Asifa, another woman known as Hawa Baloch, alias Droshum, has emerged as a prominent figure in BLA propaganda. The group claims that she was also a member of the Majeed Brigade and reportedly fought in the Gwadar front during what the group calls Operation Hero Phase II. The BLA has compared her symbolic role to that of Mahsa Amini in Iran, presenting her not just as a fighter but as an ideological figure.

Reports circulated by the group suggest she was a writer before joining the armed movement. Her father had previously been involved in the Baloch struggle and was killed in combat years ago. The BLA claims Hawa took part in prolonged clashes near Gwadar, a strategic hub of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). Her death has been portrayed as “martyrdom”, with the group insisting the mission was a strategic success despite heavy losses.

Why is BLA pushing women fighters to the forefront?

By placing women in frontline roles, the BLA is breaking with traditional norms of militancy in the region. Analysts say this is a calculated move aimed at increasing psychological pressure on the state and drawing international attention.

In videos released by the group, one of the women accuses Pakistan of targeting Baloch families, framing the violence as retaliation rather than aggression. The messaging suggests the BLA is trying to reshape its image from a regional insurgency into a broader ideological movement.