The pace and intensity of attacks by Baluchi separatists in Pakistan against national targets has steadily increased over recent months. Press reports suggest at least 30 bombings took place in the province during 2004, and alarmingly, the Baloch Voice (link) published a chronology of 212 attacks from 2003, including bombings, rockets, grenades, and landmines, all of which resulted in 77 deaths and at least 150 injuries.

This most recent attack against the Sui gas fields processing plant is notable for its intensity and impact. Somehow Interior Minister Aftab Ahmed Khan Sherpao was able to determine that the insurgents ?fired 14,000 small-weapon rounds, 435 rounds from rocket launchers, and 60 rounds from four-barrel mortars.? Continued attacks for nearly a week and an apparent brief occupation of the plant resulted in the death of eight security forces and civilians, and 35 others were injured. This latest attack was supposedly triggered by the gang rape of a female doctor by plant security forces to which local tribesmen were responding. The details reported thus far are too few to determine the plausibility of such a claim, but the response of such a large-scale sustained attack suggests an escalation of Balochi separatist strategy.