Major Blow to BLA: Key Commander Mushtaq “Kohi” Taken Out in Kabul

February 2, 2025: The Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) has suffered a significant setback with the reported killing of Mushtaq alias Kohi, a high-ranking commander of its Majeed Brigade, in Kabul, Afghanistan. The news surfaced on the social media platform X, where user @NomanPukhtoon shared:

“In a significant development, Mushtaq aka Kohi, a prominent commander of the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), has been killed by unidentified individuals in Kabul, Afghanistan. According to BLA sources, Mushtaq Kohi has subsequently gone missing.”

Kohi, a key figure within the BLA’s Command Council, was known for his involvement in numerous terror operations across Balochistan, including attacks targeting Pakistani security forces and infrastructure. His close association with Aslam Baloch (Aslam Acchu), the slain former BLA leader killed in a 2019 suicide bombing in Kandahar, further cemented his role as one of the group’s top strategists. Kohi’s death follows in the footsteps of Aslam Baloch’s assassination, signaling a potential vulnerability for the BLA’s operations in the region.

While the exact details of Kohi’s killing remain unclear, several reports indicate internal factionalism within the BLA could have been a driving force behind his targeted elimination. BLA sources have speculated that growing discord among the group’s leadership could have led to this attack, marking yet another setback for the group as it struggles to maintain cohesion and control over its operations.

The killing of Kohi also raises further questions about the security of BLA operatives in Afghanistan. Kohi’s death follows a troubling pattern of senior BLA commanders being eliminated on Afghan soil, signaling the diminishing ability of the group to find secure hideouts in a region once considered a safe haven for their activities.

Also See: Afghan National Involved in Terrorist Activities Killed in Balochistan: ISPR

India’s Alleged Role in Baloch Separatist Activities

While Kohi’s death marks a significant loss for the BLA, the broader geopolitical context surrounding the BLA’s activities cannot be ignored. India’s alleged involvement in supporting separatist forces in Balochistan has been a point of contention for Pakistan, with multiple sources pointing to Indian intelligence agency RAW (Research and Analysis Wing) as a key player in funding and assisting Baloch militant groups.

In December 2023, Sarfraz Ahmed Bungulzai, a commander of the Baloch National Army (BNA) who had surrendered to the Pakistani government, revealed in a press conference in Quetta that India had been secretly supporting terrorist activities in Balochistan. Bungulzai, who once believed his armed struggle was for Baloch rights, admitted that he was misled into thinking his fight was just. But later he realized that “India is involved in all these conspiracies.”

Bungulzai also mentioned the 2022 helicopter crash that killed six Pakistani army officials, including a general, claiming that Baloch Raj Aajoi Sangar (BRAS) took responsibility for the attack on India’s orders. He further alleged that separatist leaders, after receiving financial support from India, had “shed the blood of their own Baloch people.”

This statement aligns with earlier disclosures, such as the 2016 confessional video of Indian spy agent Kulbhushan Yadav, who was arrested by Pakistani authorities for attempting to infiltrate the country. Yadav, an officer of the Indian Navy, revealed in the video that he had been tasked by RAW with working alongside Baloch insurgents to destabilize Pakistan. Yadav admitted that the operations he carried out, which included criminal activities, were aimed at harming Pakistani citizens.

India’s Support for BLA and Other Militant Groups

Several Indian media reports have corroborated the suspicion of India’s role in supporting Baloch separatist groups. For instance, an article by The Hindu in 2019 highlighted how BLA commanders, including one who received treatment in India in 2017, had sought medical care in Indian hospitals under fake identities. The article also mentioned that several Baloch sardars (tribal leaders) maintained warm personal ties with Indian political figures, further suggesting the group’s connections with India.

Adding to this, Pakistan’s Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) has repeatedly pointed to RAW’s involvement in various destabilizing activities within Pakistan, including terrorist operations aimed at creating unrest in Balochistan. These revelations have raised concerns about India’s broader strategic goals in the region, particularly its efforts to undermine Pakistan’s sovereignty.

Furthermore, recent statements by TTP’s Khawaraj Defence Shura Commander Nasrullah, who was captured by Pakistan’s law enforcement agencies, have also implicated India in supporting both the TTP and BLA Majeed Brigade. Nasrullah, who had previously been linked to the Baitullah Mehsud group, disclosed that RAW had provided financial and logistical support to these militant factions, with the overarching aim of disrupting the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

Nasrullah’s capture also shed light on the TTP’s control over BLA, with claims that many top leadership positions within the BLA are now held by members of the Mehsud tribe from the TTP. This raises serious concerns about the growing overlap between these groups and their external backing.

Terrorist Safe Havens Dwindling in Afghanistan

The elimination of Mushtaq Kohi serves as a reminder that terrorist safe havens in Afghanistan are shrinking. Despite the Afghan Taliban’s takeover of the country, terrorist groups like the BLA, TTP, and others are facing mounting challenges in securing refuge and carrying out operations in the region. Kohi’s death, following the killing of Aslam Baloch in 2019, signals the increasing vulnerability of BLA operatives in Afghanistan, highlighting the significant shifts in the operational landscape for terrorist groups in the region.

Pakistan’s security authorities are now intensifying efforts to uncover and dismantle the external support networks of these terrorist groups, especially as the implications of foreign funding become more evident.