Baloch insurgency: FC man dead in landmine blast

QUETTA: A Frontier Corps official was killed on Tuesday in a landmine explosion near Sorange coalmine field in the suburbs of Balochistan’s capital Quetta. Banned militant outfit Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) claimed responsibility for the attack and a spokesperson, who introduced himself as Merak Baloch, vowed more of similar attacks. According to an FC spokesperson, Mohammad Ishaq, the official who wasn’t identified was detecting landmines in the area when one exploded and he died on the spot. A heavy contingent of security forces rushed to the spot soon after the blast and cordoned off the area. The deceased was shifted to a hospital for an autopsy while security forces launched a search in the area.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 26^th, 2011.